Knight of Karakura Town
by GoldDragonZ
Summary: Two nations at war converge on a small town wrought with corruption while a menace playing both sides seeks to destroy all. One knight stands to bring the town out of darkness while battling for love. Ichigo X Orihime. Rated M for Language and sex.
1. Chapter 1

**The Knight of Karakura**

_**GoldDragon08:**_ This story has one princess, two warring nations, one neutral town caught in the middle, and one knight to protect it…I don't own anything really in this story, so I hope you all enjoy it...

**Chapter One**

It was a clear, starry night. Away from his home, a nobleman lay with a young girl from the poorer part of the city of Seireitei, called Rokungai. The country of Essess (Pronounced like two S) had its Royalty and noble houses located in the middle of Seireitei. The two of them gazed upon the stars with wonder.

"Can you see it?" The girl asked the nobleman. "There's a man riding a horse."

"All I see are the stars." The man replied, and then looked to the girl. "They pale in comparison to your beauty, Hisana."

The girl, Hisana, giggled, and if it was light out, the nobleman would have seen her blush at his remark.

"Oh, Byakuya." She said. "Have you no imagination? If you look carefully, you can see a warrior on top of a horse. Is it you, do you think?"

"Our country has not been in a war in over a century." Byakuya said. "There's no way I could be a warrior though with all the practice I have gotten, I have no doubt that I can hold my own in battle."

"You can be my hero." Hisana whispered into Byakuya's ear, before kissing him on the cheek. "Beloved."

Byakuya turned to Hisana, and placed his right hand behind her head, and came closer to her, kissing her with fervor.

"I love you." Byakuya said to her. "I don't care what the rules say! I'll find a way for you to become my wife. Today might be the last day I see you for a while, but I swear to you I shall return for you, my love…"

"I will wait…" Hisana said. "And what of my sister?"

"I will take you both into my home." Byakuya replied. "You will both be my princesses, and I will love you both. I will love you more, of course."

"I know you will, my lord." Hisana said, before resting her head on her lover's chest.

They lay together for a while, but then, Hisana sat upright. She blinked, and tried wiping her eyes as she gazed in the sky. She pulled on Byakuya's shirt.

"Do you see what I see?" Hisana said to Byakuya.

Confused, Byakuya looked to where Hisana was looking. His eyes widened. A star was _moving_. The two of them stood up and walked forward to the edge of the cliff. The star started leaving a tail behind it, falling behind mountains. There was a bright explosion as dust was lifted from the Earth and thrown into the sky. The huge cloud of dust was black, but they observed it as blue lightning lanced through the cloud because of the friction that the dust particles created.

"By the gods." Hisana put a hand to her mouth. "What on Earth could have caused that?"

"I don't know." Byakuya said truthfully. "We have to leave, and go back to the city. I have to take you home."

"Could it be dangerous?" Hisana asked, as she clung onto Byakuya's tunic fearfully.

"Maybe." Byakuya said as he pulled his girlfriend away from the cliff, and back to their horses.

They had some distance to travel before they returned to the city…

**

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**

A man with a long black coat, and long disheveled brown hair walked through the monastery's halls until he came to his master's throne room. He opened the doors and walked in. On top of the throne sat a man who was pale white. He had black kimono pants, but no footwear. He wore no shirt or tunic, revealing his tattooed chest. There was a circle representing a hole in his heart, and lines going up his chest. On his head was a white mask that looked like a skull. Two black lines went from above the eyes to the bottom of the jaws. There were two horns attached to the mask, going up. The horns looked like a bull's horns. The man's eyes were gold. His hair was orange, and fell to the middle of his back if he were to stand up.

"My Lord," The man in the black coat said. "Your prediction was correct. The meteorite has fallen. Once our team of warriors meets the spot, they will claim the rock in your name and bring it back here."

"You sent them ahead instead of telling me first?" The masked man said. "Come on, Zang, why did you have to ruin my fun?"

"I apologize, Lord Shirosaki." Zang said. "I had the best intentions at heart. The team should be close to the rock as we speak. We had to make sure our side got there before anyone from Essess or Hueco Mundo took notice of the precious metal that fell."

"Heh." Shirosaki laughed. "The weapons we make from the rock will be good enough for our Dark Ones. Just make sure that bitch Senna doesn't fuck shit up yet again, dude."

"Yes my Lord." Zang said.

**Author's Note:** If you don't realize, Zang is Zangetsu, although in this world, he doesn't wear sunglasses. Shirosaki is Hollow Ichigo, or Ogihci, or whatever you want to call him.

Zang left the throne room with haste, for there were preparations to perform for the next prediction to come true.

**

* * *

**

"Harder," A teenaged woman cried out to her lover. "Faster."

"Sure, bitch." The man said, ramming her hard from behind her, making her cry out.

The woman had green hair, and a pink birthmark going across her nose and cheeks. She had brown shit colored eyes. Her body glistened with sweat from the actions she was performing. The man held her hair in a tail while he rammed his manhood into her sloppy, wet core over and over again, making her groan with every movement. The man laughed viciously as he slapped her left ass cheek while she ground herself into him, eliciting a groan from him. The man had aqua hair, blue eyes, and blue dye coming from both eyes. The sheets beneath them were soaked with their essences. His sweat and juices mixed with hers as they continued pleasuring each other. Suddenly, the door to their room burst open.

"Oh, come on." A huge man with big fists said. "You runts better get ready; our generals won't be pleased once they find out you two were 'fucking around'."

"Yammy, are you serious, you can't fucking _knock_?" The man with aqua hair said. "You come bursting in here, ordering us around? Eh, Fuck you Yammy, come take your turn from Nel, and take the sugar frosting end of my dick, and munch on it you stupid fat-ass."

"You dare use terms like that to _me_?" Yammy bellowed. "King Baragan won't be pleased with either of your actions, Grimmjow. Our generals await us all to give us orders on what is to come. You knew that Shirosaki's prediction would come true tonight."

"You have the nerve of bringing up that traitor?" Grimmjow seethed, while Nel reluctantly complied and slipped on her uniform while the two men spoke to each other. "You and I both know that that man is insane. He can kill us all, if he really wanted to. He's strong, so that's why Baragan banished him, since he went on an insane rampage throughout the kingdom."

"I know you want to kill our king, Grimmjow." Yammy warned. "Everyone knows this. That is why you need to follow orders if you have any intention of living."

"Baragan knows?" Grimmjow said, smiling wickedly. "Maybe I should get my underlings to help kill him."

"Don't make me laugh." Yammy said as he let Nel get out of the room in order to meet her general. "Put some clothes on, and get to the council chamber ASAP, or do you need some skull-pounding to get you to follow orders?"

"Yeah, I'm coming." Grimmjow said through a clenched jaw. "I really need to get off…You owe me, you big stupid crack-whore. Me and Nel were really enjoying ourselves before you barged in."

"I can't believe a warrior of Neliel's status would stoop so low to fuck someone like you." Yammy sneered. "Everyone knows that I'm the-"

Suddenly, horns started sounding throughout the palace of Los Noches. Yammy's eyes widened.

"We're being _invaded?_" Yammy realized as he listened to the particular pattern to the horns. "Hurry the fuck up Grimmjow!"

"Son of a bitch!" Grimmjow cursed as he pulled his pants on, and grabbed his katana.

The two warriors raced from the bedroom to where the main conference hall was.

They met Neliel, who had her two warriors at her side. The five of them ran into the conference hall where they heard sounds of battle coming from. They all opened the chamber's doors, and drew their swords, joining the battle.

Four warriors made their way through the bodyguards, generals, and other soldiers that made opposed them. Three of the invaders wore the armor that was given to generals of the country of Essess. The fourth member of their party wore different armor, and a white mask. His long black hair cascaded down his back. The three warriors who seemed to be from Essess wore no headpieces. One had violet hair, and his eyes were narrow slits. Another warrior was a black man with cloth covering his eyes, and had long hair done in braids. The leader of the group of warriors had brown hair slicked back. All four of them wielded katanas, and were quite professional with their weapons. Their skills were not matched by any of Baragan's generals. They cut down everyone that opposed them. In the meanwhile, Grimmjow, Neliel, Yammy, and Nel's two warriors fought armored men and women who came with the four other warriors who sought to seemingly kill Baragan. Without armor, Grimmjow, Neliel, Yammy, and the other warriors that soon joined them were being cut up. Grimmjow yelled with wild abandon, loving each moment. He finally managed to kill someone. He bathed in their blood as it poured from their neck, where Grimmjow had slashed open. He kicked his opponent down, and started fighting other people. Neliel was stronger and quicker than Grimmjow, so she brought her opponent down with minimal cost to herself. She aided her two helpers with their battles, killing both of their opponents. Then, Neliel noticed a little girl hiding behind one of the pillars some distance away from the battle. The girl had auburn hair, and two blue hair pieces that kept her hair from her face. Her hair was quite short, coming down to rest at her neck. She wore a pretty little dress, fit for nobility. Neliel punched, kicked, and slashed anyone that came in to her way until she burst through the group. She ran towards the little girl, sword bloodied, clothes covered in blood. The little girl's eyes widened as Neliel ran up to her.

"Little girl," Neliel kneeled before the frightened girl. "This is a dangerous place to-"

"SORA!!" The little girl cried out, with tears coming to her eyes.

The fourth warrior ahead of the others who had the white mask on whipped around. He took the mask off and revealed the face of an 18 year old boy.

"Orihime!" Sora called out, and then looked to his leader. "Lord Aizen, my sister is in peril!"

"Go to her, my son." Aizen said as he continued pressing his attack.

Sora ran to the nearest wall, and scaled it, bursting out of a window. Neliel stood up, and tracked Sora's movements as he ran, passing windows. Finally, he burst through the window closest to Neliel and Orihime.

"Leave my sister alone!" Sora screamed as he viciously attacked Neliel, who blocked each attack single-handedly. "Orihime, run away from this place or you'll surely die!"

Orihime ran away, towards a door. However, someone opened the door. Orihime froze as she saw the person. The man had green eyes, and black tattoos that looked like tear marks going down his face. He had black hair, and black and white armor. He surveyed the scene in front of him. He looked behind him, and three others joined him. A woman with blond hair and similar pieces of armor walked in, along with a masked man, who wore armor along with a purple cape. They walked forward, and Orihime cowered with her back against a pillar. The three warriors took no notice of the girl, although the first man with green eyes gazed piercingly through her. They ran to join the fray.

In the meanwhile, Neliel fought Sora. They seemed to be evenly matched, but then one of Neliel's warrior screamed in pain, and he fell. Neliel looked back to see who it was.

"Pesche!" Neliel cried out, as Sora smiled, quite pleased with Neliel's look of horror.

"It looks like your man is down," Sora said, "Maybe you should go to him?"

"This is a waste of time." Neliel said, with narrowed eyes. "You're but a child."

Sora took apprehension to the remark, and started attacking more frequently. Neliel had quite enough, and slashed through Sora's armor, ripping the flesh from his right leg, just beside his shin-bone. She then slashed up his arm, ripping his sword from his grasp. She pointed her sword at his neck. Sora's eyes widened and he looked to his sister, who had tears falling down her face. Sora smiled while he looked at his sister.

"Don't cry, sister." Sora said warmly. "Everything is going to be alright."

Neliel also looked to the little girl. Her hold on her weapon wavered. She took the blade from Sora's neck, who looked at her with surprise.

"I'm your enemy!" He said. "What kind of person are you? You're not going to kill me?"

"You bring a child to battle," Neliel sneered. "And you use her to win sympathy? You're pathetic. My blade will never be wasted on the likes of you."

With that, Neliel turned to the main battle that was going on, but it seemed to be too late. The one named Aizen had cut through Baragan's battle-axe, and the head of it had dropped to the ground. Baragan had a cut over his left temple, and he was on his knees. The two groups of warriors stopped fighting, and looked to Aizen, who had his sword at Baragan's neck.

"Join us, Lord Baragan." Aizen said smoothly. "You will become a great asset, a worthy general in my army."

"I will never bow to the likes of you!" Baragan replied enraged. "In honor of this country, we will never fall before Essess!"

"Who said I was claiming this country in the name of Essess?" Aizen asked patiently. "This was not an invasion of Hueco Mundo for Essess expansion. This was simply a move to take control of a once powerful nation. You have fallen, Baragan. A hundred years ago, you were the most feared king in all the land. If it weren't for what happened during your last battle with Essess, then you could have had the world."

"What do you want with the people of Hueco Mundo?" Baragan demanded. "Do you aim to enslave us all?"

"Heavens no!" Aizen said, feigning being insulted. "I am merely looking for a new home for myself and my family, not to mention my men and women. This is the most excellent staging point for my war against Essess."

"You want us to fight the vast armies of Essess?" Baragan's eyes widened. "They have close to twenty if not more generals! They have chariots, and armies that make mine pale in comparison! What can we do to even be a match to their might?"

"We will use the beasts of this land." Aizen replied, sheathing his sword. "We will summon an army of demons and monsters to fight for us. They will complement the men your army already has."

"You just slew most if not all of my generals!" Baragan seethed. "Who do you expect will take their places?"

"Only the best warriors who can fight for me." Aizen replied. "Only the best."

Aizen looked to the crowd of warriors who listened to him. Grimmjow was furious as he looked at what happened. Neliel checked Pesche's vital signs. Thankfully, his wounds had not killed him. Yammy sneered. The man with the green eyes, the woman with blond hair, and the masked man stood upon the corpses that they had killed.

"Today is an awesome day, and should be remembered." Aizen said to the people. "I am your new leader, Sosuke Aizen. It is true, I am one of the mightiest warriors from the land of Essess, but those fools have turned their backs on my army and I. They should pay dearly for their transgressions. I am the right arm of justice. For far too long, you people have been looked upon as being inferior to the people of Essess. That is untrue, and we will see to it that they will never forget the might that is Hueco Mundo. Who is with me?"

The warriors looked to each other, not knowing what to do. Yammy punched one of the former enemies, knocking them out.

"I've been dying for a fight!" Yammy yelled. "Let's go kick some Essess ass, man!"

"I agree." The masked man with a purple cape said.

The man with green eyes closed his eyes, and accepted what was going to happen. He merely turned away from the dead and the wounded, and left everyone in the conference room, where they would go over the new laws and the talk that Aizen would surely begin. Sora limped to Orihime, who wrapped her small hands around his waist. He put his hand on her head, and stroked her hair.

"Our parents were cruel to us." Sora said. "If Lord Aizen had not found us in the poor district of Seireitei, we would surely have had died. He is our adoptive father, and he has found a home for us. You are now a Princess, Orihime!"

Orihime looked up to her brother's eyes with awe, and silently squeezed her eyes shut, as Sora continued stroking her hair. The man with short violet hair silently came up to Sora. He cleared his throat and Sora looked at him.

"What is it, Mr. Ichimaru?" Sora asked.

"Lord Aizen has a mission for you and for several of your most trusted men." Gin Ichimaru said. "You don't need to anything; you just have to supervise your men."

"What did Lord Aizen have in mind?" Sora asked, as Orihime peeked up at Ichimaru.

"We must discuss these things in private." Ichimaru said, and then knelt down until he was almost at the same level as Orihime. "Hello, little Princess. You have the best ability to heal people. See to it that the wounded people are treated well, and we'll get someone else to see to the dead. Can you do that, Orihime?"

"Oh yes!" The little girl smiled, holding her brother's hand.

Baragan sent for servants and scribes. There was much to do to get the nation ready for war. In the meantime, Aizen went to one of the most secret place in the palace, and opened a container. It held an object that would be needed in the last days of the battle. It was a round orb with immeasurable power. It would make Aizen, who was now king of Hueco Mundo, into a god. Ichimaru, Sora, and the black man, Tosen Kaname, were the only individuals who knew about the orb, and they would die with the secret, should the need ever arise.

**

* * *

**

"My poor baby!" A woman said, pouting as she cleaned a cut on her eight-year-old son's face. "My little strawberry, why did you have to be such a ruffian?"

"Dad says I have to be tough to take care of the farm!" The boy replied.

The mother smiled warmly. She had long orange hair (Or was it blond? What's the hair color of Ichigo's mom? That's right, it's Ichigo's mom, if you haven't guessed already) She started cleaning other cuts and bruises that Ichigo had received from either getting beat up, or beating up someone else. Two little girls peeked from beside the door-frame. One had long brown hair, while the other had long black hair. The one with black hair closely resembled the boy who was being cleaned up by their mother, while the girl with the brown hair resembled their mother really closely.

"Karin, Yuzu!" The boy, Ichigo, said. "Stop looking at me!"

Ichigo pouted as his sister's giggled. His mother, Masaki, smiled also, signaling for her other two children to come forward.

"You girls will get husbands one day." Masaki said. "You will have to learn how to clean your husband up when he comes home from the farm."

"But you don't really clean Papa!" Karin, the girl with the black hair said, as Yuzu giggled.

Karin and Yuzu were fraternal twins, so their mother had made similar clothes for both of them. They wore small dresses that were different colors.

"That's because your father doesn't let me clean him." Masaki replied, sighing, "Men are just _impossible_."

"Hey, I'm a man!" Ichigo said, pouting a little bit. "Am I impossible?"

"Oh no, my little strawberry!" Masaki reassured Ichigo. "You are nowhere near as impossible as your father! Speaking of that devil, I wonder where he is right now."

"Father said he had to go into town after working on the farm." Yuzu replied. "He said he'll be back."

"Oh, alright," Masaki smiled at her two little girls, and scooped them up in her arms while Ichigo laughed as Karin squirmed, and Yuzu hugged her mother back. "You two will be beautiful when you grow up!"

"Let go!" Karin said, squirming out from her mother's grasp.

"Oh, you don't want your mother to hug you?" Masaki said, letting go of both of the four-year-old girls. "Don't worry, you'll hear from your father when he gets home!"

Karin slapped her hand to her face, and groaned. Yuzu and Ichigo giggled at both their mother's and Karin's antics. Suddenly, there was a knock at the front door. Ichigo hopped off the counter his mother had placed him on and ran to the door. He peeked through a window to see who it was, from behind a curtain so no one could see him. There was a young girl at the door. It was a cool night, so Ichigo thought that it was a runaway girl from a nearby farm. He opened the door. As soon as Ichigo opened the door, someone very strong pushed the door open violently, making Ichigo fall to the ground

Ichigo soon found himself surrounded by three men. The leader of the men threw down a puppet of a little girl that he had used to fool Ichigo into opening the door. The man was covered in some animal's brown fur. He had two pieces of a mask on his face; one was on his forehead, while the other was below his jaw. He had a huge katana on his back. He also had a red spear in his right hand. The leader who threw away the puppet laughed, prompting the other two warriors to laugh also. Ichigo froze when he saw the men with weapons. One of the men stepped on Ichigo's chest, pushing him down onto the ground, making him cry out in pain. The two girls came into the room, followed by the mother. One of the men widened his eyes.

"Look, boss!" The man said to the man with the spear. "We have some chicken legs!"

"Here, Chick, Chick, Chick, Chick!!" The other man said while stepping on Ichigo's head, making the boy protest loudly. "Which one of you lucky ladies gets to fuck me tonight?"

Masaki stepped forward, blocking the men from her two daughters.

"Leave the boy alone!" Masaki said sternly. "Do you know who my husband is?"

Ichigo widened his eyes. He had never seen his mother so angry before in his whole life. She had never used that tone of voice with anyone, not even their father.

"Your husband?" The leader mocked. "He's a petty farmer who has shit to show for it. You are all in damn rags; you should come live with me, and be way happier."

"We are happy with the way things are." Masaki said, and then she looked at the two girls behind her. "Girls, I want you two to go into the back room, and shut the door, locking it."

"But mother!" Yuzu cried out, tears streaming down her face. "They have swords!"

"We can't leave Itsygo!" Karin said, gritting her teeth, but her mother would have none of it, and turned her back to Ichigo and the three men.

"Please girls," Masaki pleaded with her two girls. "Go to the room before-"

A man grabbed Masaki forcefully, and turned her around.

"Who the fuck do you think you are, turning your back to your enemies?" the man asked, and then pointed to the other man with a spear. "Don't you know who this man is? He is the Grand Fisher! He uses his puppet to get into people's houses and fucks shit up, yo!"

"Easy, Hexapodus." The Grand Fisher said. "She is only a woman, not a warrior in any sort of the word. She will be an awesome fuck. So which one of you mother fuckers wants one of the cute girl? Which one of you wants to fuck this boy?"

"Leave my children alone!" Masaki cried. "They've done nothing to you, they can't defend themselves!"

"And you think you can?" Hexapodus asked. "You're going to drop to your knees and S my D, if you know what I mean."

Hexapodus laughed manically, while Karin and Yuzu held each other. Masaki looked to her daughters, and gently pushed them to the door that leads to the master bedroom. They reluctantly obliged and locked the door behind them. Both men, even the one who was stepping on Ichigo let it known that they were disappointed.

"Aw man," said the man stepping on Ichigo. "Well, at least we have the mother."

"We all know you're a fag, Shrieker." Hexapodus said to his companion. "We all know you can't wait to see the boy's tiny dick."

"You guys are all assholes." Ichigo said from beneath Shrieker's foot. "When I get out of this, I'm going to kill all of you."

"Big words for a worm!" Shrieker said, squishing Ichigo's head beneath his heel. "You're going to die sooner than anyone else.

"Leave him alone!" Masaki charged, pushing a surprised Shrieker off her son.

Masaki grabbed her son, but all too soon, Grand Fisher's spear entered her side. Blood spewed out of the wound, and did not stop. The last thought that went through her mind, was about her family, and her husband.

"Ichigo…" Masaki said to the boy in her arms as she fell.

"Mother!" Ichigo said as her body pressed him to the floor, and blood spilt from her mouth as her lung filled with crimson life.

Masaki held her son close, and smiled to him as tears came to both of them. Ichigo grasped his mother's clothes, and buried his face into her chest as he started sobbing. And that is how Masaki Kurosaki of this world died, defending her children from foes who were too strong, too bent on destruction, and unwilling to show mercy.

"Well there goes one of our fuck toys." Hexapodus said as he tried the door to the master bedroom. "And we can't get to the mini-bitches. They have nothing valuable. Let's torch this place to the ground."

"Fucking right." Shrieker said as he pushed over a cabinet which held dishes.

Grand Fisher wiped the blood from his spear, and then grabbed Ichigo from under his mother's body. The boy squirmed, and started kicking and punching at his mother's killer. He kicked Grand Fisher in the shin, and Grand Fisher slapped the taste from Ichigo's mouth. Ichigo fell to the ground, curling up into the fetal position, while he tasted blood from his split lip.

_Mother! _Ichigo sobbed. _How could I let this happen? It's my entire fault! If I hadn't opened the door, she wouldn't be dead! They're going to kill my sisters! They're going to burn our house down, and it's all my fault! Am I just going to lie here and die? Am I not going to do anything to stop them? Those stupid fucking cock loving, fur wearing homos! I'm going to kill them all!_

Ichigo Kurosaki stood up, breathing heavily, while Shrieker and Hexapodus started lighting the furniture on fire. Ichigo went into the kitchen, and pulled out the rolling pin, and the biggest, sharpest knife he could find. Gritting his teeth, he stomped into the room just as Shrieker was using an axe top cut through the master bedroom's door. Ichigo's brows were furrowed. Masaki's blood covered his blue shirt. He screamed at the three men, getting their attention. They just looked at him, _and laughed._

"What do you plan on doing with that?" Grand Fisher said to Ichigo and the knife, while drawing his own huge katana. "You plan on fighting us? Three grown men who have killed hundreds before? What can you do little boy?"

The Grand Fisher started laughing, prompting the other two to laugh. Suddenly, Hexapodus started screaming, as he grasped the knife that had been thrown into his leg. He pulled it out, and looked murderously at Ichigo, who grasped the rolling pin in both hands, like it was a sword.

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy killin' you, little man!" Hexapodus said, pulling the knife out of his leg, advancing on Ichigo, who stood his ground. "You're going to die like a dog, you little shit!"

The fire spread throughout the house, and Ichigo could hear his sisters crying in the other room, quite frightened as the heat and smoke filled their house. Ichigo started coughing as smoke filled his lungs.

"Fuck this shit, we're out of here!" Grand Fisher said, sheathing his sword.

He turned around, but widened his eyes. Isshin Kurosaki stood in the doorframe. Looking at his wife's corpse, taking no notice of anyone in the room, and what was happening to his house. Isshin looked at the bloody rag that still had fresh blood on it on the Grand Fisher's belt.

"You-you…" Was all Isshin could say as tears burned his eyes from both the smoke and the fact that his wife lay on the floor.

Isshin closed his eyes. He snapped them open, revealing rage that filled him. He pulled out a small knife and pointed it at the Grand Fisher. Hexapodus and Shrieker came to the Grand Fisher's side.

"You think you can kill us with one simple knife?" the Grand Fisher said mockingly, drawing his huge katana, and took off the part of the mask that covered his forehead, revealing a bald and deformed head.

Before anyone could act, the knife was already protruding through the Grand Fisher's neck. Blood spilled out, filling the Grand Fisher's mouth. He fell to the ground, gurgling, and then dropped his katana. He died, painfully. The other two men looked at each other, and then drew their weapons, Shrieker with his axe, and Hexapodus with a small knife. Hexapodus grabbed Ichigo before Isshin could react. He pointed the knife to Ichigo's throat as the boy struggled. Upon feeling the cold steel to his throat, Ichigo froze. He dropped the rolling pin.

"Believe me man, I'll do it!" Hexapodus warned. "I'll gut this boy like a pig! Believe me!"

Suddenly, a knife flew across the room, and entered Hexapodus' forehead, killing him instantly as his head snapped back from the great force, also breaking his neck.

"I believe you." Isshin said from behind clenched teeth.

"Dad!" Ichigo cried out, running to the master bedroom door. "Karin and Yuzu are in there!"

The fire continued spreading slowly throughout the house. Isshin looked at the last man standing, and grabbed the knife that was in the Grand Fisher, pulling it out. Shrieker threw his battle axe at a window, smashing it. Shrieker shielded himself from Isshin's knife with his arm. Luckily for him, he had armor. Grabbing Ichigo, Shrieker leapt outside, and mounted a horse. The horse stood on its hind legs, with Ichigo screaming in defiance. Isshin looked out the window at the retreating form of the horse, and Shrieker's back as the man took away Isshin's only son. Isshin came to his bedroom door and knocked on it urgently.

"Girls!" Isshin called out. "Daddy's here!"

There was movement from behind the door as it was unlocked. The door swung open, and he looked at his two remaining children. Their eyes were watering from the smoke, and they were coughing. In one motion, Isshin swept them into his arms, and took the two four-year-olds from the burning house. Isshin collapsed in the grass after he made sure his children were okay. As luck would have it, they had not seen their mother's corpse. The three of them looked on as their whole lives went up in smoke…Masaki was dead…and Ichigo?

Taken…

_**GoldDragon08:**_ Next chapter will be awesome. I hope you all like this story; I put a lot of thought into writing this.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Knight of Karakura: Chapter Two**

_**GoldDragon08:**_ I don't own the characters of this story. I might not even own the circumstances they find themselves in; everyone's written about it so much…This is the last disclaimer because I know no one reads these, so I could say anything…My fantasy's come true: I am Butter Toast!! LOL I miss Ed, Edd, and Eddy It's not shown in Canada.

Sora Inoue and his group of warriors from Hueco Mundo raced upon the mountain pass. They went through deep snow, rocky cliffs, steep falls, and deadly climbs. They had no horses because of the terrain they were going through. Two days is how long it took to make it through the mountains. They came to a plain of grass, and jogged their way through it. They travelled through a forest after that, and came to camp at the end of the third day near their targeted place. However, in the middle of the night, they heard noises coming from their targeted area, so the group awoke to continue to travel. They came to high ground, and crawled slowly not to be seen. They looked to their target. Sora used a telescope to see what was happening.

"Shit." Sora said. "One of the generals from Essess has reached the fall point, where the valuable metal fell from the sky. How could they have known about it so quickly?"

"I don't know, Acidwire," replied Sora's companion, designation Fishbone. "But if we don't do something soon, they will take away what Lord Aizen wanted; the precious black metal that is strong enough to beat the white metal wielded by Lord Shirosaki, leader of the Dark Ones. That bastard made a sword for himself, and left the other white metal that fell some place neither we nor those of Essess can find. He might be the most powerful being the world has ever seen."

"No." Sora replied. "Aizen has gained more power than anyone knew possible. He has mastered the dark arts. He gained knowledge after he was taught by Kisuke Urahara, and Tessai Tsukabishi. He trained under Yoruichi Shihoin and learned hand-to-hand tactics. Shirosaki only has brute force and lust for battle. He will be defeated after the fall of Essess, sure enough."

"We have to move out." Sora looked to the men and women behind him, and signaled for several of them to go left, and some to go right and attack in a pincer movement. "Fishbone, lead the soldiers, for I am still not healed from our earlier battle."

"Yes sir Acidwire!" Fishbone took three warriors, and leapt from the high ground, and charged for the people of Essess.

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Toshiro Hitsugaya looked at the crater that the meteor had made. Men and women from the portion of the army of Essess he belonged to were scattered throughout the crater, searching in vain for any trace of the precious metal.

"General," Hitsugaya said to his superior, who came up from behind him. "There is nothing here. Either someone took it, or what fell from the sky three days ago was not metal or rock, but ice and water."

"Good work, Lieutenant." Seigen Suzunami said to his fellow soldier. "Let's leave this forsaken place."

The two of them turned to leave. All of a sudden, they heard a woman scream. Suzunami turned around just as a spear flew into the sky for Hitsugaya. Suzunami pushed the young prodigy out of the way, but ended up the victim of the spear as it pierced his side. Because there was no war for the past hundred years, and no other conflict within Essess, they had not bothered to wear armor. Suzunami fell to the sand that had been dug up because of the meteorite. Hitsugaya grasped his commander.

"Sir!" Hitsugaya said as spears began flying. "Look at me! Look at me! Stay awake! Stay alive sir!"

Blood seeped from Suzunami's wound as he grasped at Hitsugaya's hand. He smiled, but blood spewed from his mouth, making the general cough up more of it.

"Take these men and fight the bastards that are coming for us." Said the dying general. "Tell my wife…Tell her to take care of the boys for me. Tell her to be strong…be strong."

The general lost consciousness. Hitsugaya stood up as he looked to the retreating men and women who were all running past him. Spears were flying everywhere. Hitsugaya saw several of the men and women fall as if they were hit. They were quivering out of fright. Hitsugaya grabbed one of the frightened men.

"Are you a mouse, or are you men and women for the Guard of Essess?" Hitsugaya roared to all that could hear. "Our general is down and you all think you can run? You turn back around and come here! We don't defend this site and what will you all do when you are all called upon to serve our country? These men and women who are throwing spears, they want your lives! You turn around and tell them they can't have your lives, with the bite of your swords!"

Hitsugaya unsheathed a sword wielded by strong men that came before him. He pointed it at the enemies that advanced. He pulled the man up by the tunic.

"If you don't fight for me now," Hitsugaya warned. "I will haunt you till you die, do you understand me?"

The man unsheathed his sword, and swallowed as he looked at the warriors that chased after Hitsugaya's men and women. Hitsugaya ran as fast as he could, faster than anyone knew he could. He ran for the honor of his general. He ran for his life. He ran and screamed. Fishbone came up to the crater, cutting down those who begged him to spare them. Hitsugaya and Fishbone caught each other's eyes. Four men advanced on Hitsugaya's position. As cold as ice, and as fast as a rushing river, Hitsugaya gutted each of them, running forward as their blood spewed everywhere. Covered in blood, Hitsugaya ran, somersaulting on the ground as the two warriors that accompanied Fishbone ran ahead of their leader, determined to cut Hitsugaya down. The white haired prodigy grabbed the chain that was attached to the hilt of his sword, and wrapped it around his hand. At the end of the chain was a crescent shaped piece of metal. Hitsugaya caught the blade of the first attacker in his left hand which the chain was wrapped around. He reversed his sword while facing the man whose sword he had caught, and stabbed backwards with it. He just barely grazed the side of the second man, who cried out in surprise and pain. Hitsugaya's sword had cut through his armor. The man swung to decapitate Hitsugaya's head, but averaged poorly, slicing into his companion's arm. The man cried out, but the sword was trapped in the man's armor.

Fishbone launched himself to come in between the two men, and knocked them both down in the process while he tried to kill Hitsugaya. Hitsugaya back flipped, but lost his grip on his sword. Luckily, He still grasped the chain to it, and brought up the metal crescent just in the nick of time to protect himself. Hitsugaya extended the chain and got away from the two men who watched their leader fight.

"What the hell are you doing kid?" Fishbone asked Hitsugaya. "Do you plan on leaving your sword a weapon for my men? Are you planning on using the flimsy piece of metal to kill me? You're going down, dude, you can count on it!"

The man who had been cut in his arm grabbed Hitsugaya's sword by the hilt and got up.

"Stupid child, you're going to die." The man said. "You just gave me your only weapon, and I'm going to use it to tear you a new one."

Fishbone grabbed the chain and pulled Hitsugaya closer, and prepared to stab him with his sword. Strangely, Hitsugaya smiled. The blade struck quickly. It was sure death, but the blade never met Hitsugaya's flesh. Instead, Hitsugaya fell backwards, while pulling on the chain. Fishbone stumbled forward, stabbing his comrade. He pulled the sword out of his comrade's arm while he pulled on the chain, trying to regain balance. Hitsugaya's sword flew across the area, and struck Fishbone's Achilles Tendon in his right leg, and tripped him because Hitsugaya and Fishbone exerted enough force to pull the chain. Hitsugaya grabbed his sword and placed in at Fishbone's throat. Hitsugaya stood tall over his fallen foe, and kicked Fishbone's sword away.

"Call your men off." Hitsugaya ordered. "Tell them to stop this senseless killing, or I will kill you where you lay."

Fishbone shook his head.

"I'm not the one calling the shots." Fishbone replied. "Acidwire over there is the one commanding us. If you have a problem, take it up with him, that is, if you can get through the men and women who stand in your way."

"You are the one they will listen to." Hitsugaya said. "Call them off!"

"Fuck you kid!" Fishbone unsheathed a knife, and stood up, slashing Hitsugaya's sword away with it. "You're out of your league kid. I know everything Sosuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Tosen Kaname knew at their peak."

"Maybe." Replied Hitsugaya. "But you don't know a thing about me."

"You?" Fishbone sneered. "What's to know? You're a punk, a sad little boy taking orders from senile old men in that group of 46 men that give you your orders."

"You don't know?" Hitsugaya realized. "Aizen slew every last member of Section 46. The General Commander Yamamoto is now the only person making decisions in Essess, since the King won't have any part of it."

"So it's begun, has it?" Fishbone said while smiling. "War is upon you now! What are you going to do about it?"

"I may not be strong." Hitsugaya said. "I may not be as skilled as Aizen, but you can bet that I will fight until my last breath to defend this land!"

"You don't understand, boy." Fishbone said. "You are facing me now, and you surely face death!"

"Let's dance, Bozo." Hitsugaya said in a mocking voice, trying to get Fishbone agitated.

It worked, because Fishbone attacked with the knife, much to his disadvantage. Hitsugaya wrapped the chain around the knife, and pulled it. Fishbone let go of it, and somersaulted to get to his sword. Grasping his weapon, Fishbone sprang up. His blade and Hitsugaya's met, causing sparks to fly. Fishbone slashed wildly, while Hitsugaya dodged skillfully. Due to his size, Hitsugaya was easy to miss, and much faster than Fishbone. The strength he got from his sword made him quite a formidable foe. He stabbed Fishbone in his left shin, making the man fall on the ground once more. Hitsugaya brought his sword up, and stabbed quickly, killing Fishbone in one blow. The two warriors that had come with Fishbone looked on horrified at what happened. They dropped their weapons and started retreating towards Sora. A chain wrapped around one of their necks, bringing them down. The other man kept on going, not looking back. Hitsugaya killed this man with much ease, and he watched as the last man met 'Acidwire'. Hitsugaya looked back to the men and women who had fallen, and those who were still alive. Several of the men and women under his and the late Suzunami's command were fighting for their lives against many foes. Hitsugaya rushed to their aid. Suddenly, arrows started flying everywhere. Hitsugaya rushed for cover. After a while, the arrows stopped falling. Hitsugaya looked from his hiding place. Arrows that were issued from Essess killed the men and women who were under Acidwire's and Fishbone's command, while arrows that were issued to Hueco Mundo warriors killed Hitsugaya's men. Hitsugaya, Acidwire, and the last man from Fishbone's party were all that were left. Acidwire and the man started retreating, going towards Hueco Mundo, so Hitsugaya collected as many swords as he could to bring back to Essess. He would have to come back with a group of people to collect the bodies. He loaded the swords and the body of General Suzunami into a cart, and climbed on, grabbing the reins, making the horses go towards the nearest town of Essess.

One of the Dark Ones from Shirosaki's monastery looked to his comrade as they watched Acidwire and the other man retreat.

"How many men does it take to give a message to a king?" the man asked.

"One." His comrade said, pulling back an arrow on his bow, and firing.

THUNK!!

Someone else died.

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Ichigo never slept. He had been bound and gagged by his captor: Shrieker. The nasty man had not given anything for Ichigo to eat, so he was really hungry. They had been travelling for a bit more than a day. The horse kept trotting day and night. Shrieker would not stop the horse until they reached their destination. Finally, they came to a small town. Bodies lay in the streets, and fights were going on all around. Shrieker warily led the horse and Ichigo to a small inn, just as someone was thrown out of a window. Shrieker looked to the counter where a receptionist would have been. It was vacant. Other men were getting drunk at the nearby bar. None really paid attention to Shrieker as he took a key from behind the counter, and carried Ichigo to a room. He threw Ichigo on the floor, making Ichigo moan in protest. He took off his armor, and flopped onto the only bed in the room. Fifteen minutes went past, and Ichigo could hear the man start to snore. Ichigo furrowed his brow as he doubled over. He bit into the cloth that Shrieker had shoved into his mouth. Somehow, he sat up, and brought his arms under his legs so that they were in front of him now. Patiently, and quietly, Ichigo untied the ropes that were on his legs. Ichigo tiptoed to Shrieker's weapons, and took out a knife. He placed it in between his knees, and started hacking away at the rope that was around his hands.

He heard movement from the bed and froze. A few minutes went by, and Shrieker's snoring continued. Ichigo was also tired, but he was more frightened at what would happen to him once the man awoke. Ichigo cut through the rope, and exhaled gently, realizing he had been holding his breath. He untied the cloth that was around his mouth and took out the other piece that had been shoved into his mouth. Ichigo gently opened the door, and slipped out. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He ran past drunken men and women who were helping each other to rooms, making out, or trying to hurt each other. He was not noticed as he ran from the inn. He ran away from the town, and just in time. There was a loud sound coming closer to the town, although to Ichigo, it sounded farther away.

Something fell from the sky, obliterating the town. Ichigo was not far enough, so the shockwave mixed with dirt took him up and flung him across the plain. His backside hit a huge boulder with enough force that it broke the rock. Ichigo was covered in earth, and he could feel himself bleeding from wounds caused by shrapnel, or the rock he had hit. He tried to get up, but couldn't, because the earth was too heavy. He could feel it pressing onto his chest and back, squeezing the air from his body. He was going to suffocate. He could feel darkness threaten to take over his vision. With a will a beast, Ichigo decided that he could not die, not like this. Somehow, he had to get back to his family. Somehow, he had to win. He pushed the ground with all of his might. His will to live peaked, and he screamed as blood spewed from the multiple wounds on his body. His clothes ripped as his muscles bulged and he lifted the tremendous amount of earth into the air, and came out of it.

Ichigo walked a few feet ahead, away from the rocky pile, and then collapsed. He clenched his right fist as he panted. He got to his feet again, and began walking. He did not know where his family was. He did not know if they were still safe. As fate would have it, the town he was just in was completely demolished by the meteorite that had struck it. Fire could be seen in certain spots. The smell of death and decay filled the boy's nostrils, making him sick, but he could not vomit because there was little to nothing in his stomach. Ichigo headed west, following the light of the setting sun.

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The man struggled with the body into the palace of Los Noches. He pulled it as hard as he could to the throne room, resting a little bit. He opened one of the doors, and walked in, dragging the body. Aizen was speaking to a few of the advisors he had. The new generals he had hired were now getting to know their separate battle groups, except for one. Neliel Tu Oderschvank sat at a small table that Aizen ordered to be placed in the throne room. There also sat Orihime Inoue, who was eight-years-old. They were having a tea party, along with two other servant girls. Orihime was eating bread and red bean paste, one of her many favorite foods. Aizen looked on proudly at his adopted daughter as she played, but then his eyes rested on the body being dragged into the throne room.

"No…" Aizen said, widening his eyes. "General Oderschvank, take the princess away from this room right now, do not let her see what that man is bringing."

Neliel looked around the Aizen, and then to the body. She widened her eyes. Orihime tried looking at the body as well, but the two servant girls blocked her view. Neliel scooped Orihime up, and ran with her through the servant passage, which was the quickest route out of the throne room. Aizen stepped down from the dais where his throne was. He moved past the man who dragged the body. Tosen Kaname looked on, while placing his right arm on his katana

**Author's Note: FYI Kaname can see in this world since no one really has powers…yet. Everyone in Hueco Mundo wears white uniforms, white armor like a Storm Trooper from Star Wars. I know it's cheesy, but this is how their world is.**

Gin Ichimaru placed a hand on Aizen's shoulder as he checked the dead man's pulse. Ichimaru gripped Aizen's shoulder with affection, trying to show the new king that people were on his side.

"Who did this?" Aizen asked the man who had brought the body there. "Tell me the name of the one who killed my son."

"Sir." The man said. "Somehow, the people of Essess had sent archers to ambush us. They had a spy among us, but I don't know who it is. They killed everyone. I alone am the sole survivor of the battle. But, somehow, archers from Hueco Mundo arrived almost at the same time, and killed all of the Essess soldiers, but one: Toshiro Hitsugaya, lieutenant of the fifth division."

Aizen widened his eyes. Suddenly, Kaname grabbed the man's shoulder and pulled him around so that they were face-to-face.

"You are the sole survivor?" Kaname said. "You're a low ranking officer! Why would they choose you to survive, and not Sora?"

The dead man was indeed Orihime's brother and Aizen's adoptive son, Sora Inoue also known as Acidwire in the army.

"Sir, let me discipline this soldier for betraying you!" Kaname said.

"No, Kaname." Aizen said. "That is not what I want. He is to remain alive. How on Earth would two groups of archers be able to kill everyone on the battle field, but not kill each other? Wouldn't a skilled archer be able to take out the arrows that flew from the opposing army? Is that not how General Baragan trained his group of archers? Someone is making us come into conflict with the nation of Essess. Someone is pushing our war faster than it should be. The armies of Essess will not take the killing of their General lightly. I take it their General was killed, if only his lieutenant was the sole survivor."

"That's right sir." The man said, as Kaname pushed him aside.

"You're a lucky man." Kaname said to the man. "If you were higher ranking, I might have done something to really hurt you."

"Sorry sirs." The man said to both Kaname and Aizen. "I will do the best I can to fight Essess, when the time comes."

"Tosen." Ichimaru said. "Who do you think should replace our dearly departed Prince?"

"No one can." Kaname said. "We are the right and left hands of Lord Aizen. We must remain that way. It will be up to Aizen to decide what shall happen to that post, when the time comes."

"Yes, you are both right." Aizen said, dismissing the man who was allowed to leave the throne room. "We need someone to replace our prince, but whom?"

"Do you want the Princess to learn how to fight?" Kaname asked his king. "Should she be the next in line to take up the mantle of Acidwire?"

"Negative." Aizen said. "When it comes to war, I will command the armies, myself. No one can take that away from me, and no one can replace me. So the war begins."

Aizen sent word to all of his Generals, even Baragan, who was still bitter about his kingship being demoted to mere General. They prepared for war. In the secret confines beneath Los Noches, Aizen and one of the Generals, the mad scientist Szayel Aporro Granz, developed Aizen's mind control techniques. Aizen had developed this technique many years before…

**Flashback:**

_Aizen tricked the army of Essess into fighting amongst them. The generals of that time fought each other for what seemed to be their goal. One night, the Captain General, Yamamoto held a negotiation meeting where all of the generals and their lieutenants sat down at a table to discuss what they should do. There was nothing but shouting as the generals competed against one another. At the time, Hiyori Sarugaki represented her general Hisuke Urahara, while Hachigen Ushoda represented his general, Tessai Tsukabishi. Lisa Yadomaru represented Shunsui Kyoraku and was controlled by Aizen's power. Two whole sections of the army, the Covert Ops, and their general at the time, Yoruichi Shihoin, and Joshiro Ukitake's army were sent on a private mission on behalf of the Kasumioji Family, who were at a secret war with the Amagai Family of Hueco Mundo. Section 46 and their guards came into the negotiation room, and started ordering the generals to stop behaving so badly. A battle ensued between the generals, their lieutenants and Section 46 and their men and women. Section 46 won the battle when the Royal Guard led by Kirio Hikifune, attacked and stopped the deemed insane generals and their lieutenants. They were all fired from their jobs. Despite being fired, they still wanted power. They fought amongst themselves over one town…_

…_Karakura Town…_

_The only six generals not to be fired because they had been sent on a mission with their armies were Ginrei Kuchiki, Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi Shihoin, Joshiro Ukitake, Shunsui Kyoraku, and Tessai Tsukabishi. They arrived in the nick of time to stop the ex-generals from fighting amongst themselves, and split them all up. They were sent along with their individual Lieutenants across the globe, except for Aizen, Kaname, and Ichimaru. They had proven themselves loyal to Essess. However, that is only how it seemed…Ichimaru had been a prodigy, like Hitsugaya, so was not given a rank, and had not been sent with his general, who happened to be Aizen's general as well: Shinji Hirako. Kaname had been a warrior under Kensei Muguruma, who had been sent with his lieutenant to a different country in the end. _

_Closer to the present time, Kaname became General of the Ninth Division, Aizen was General of the Fifth Division, and Ichimaru had been General of the Third Division. Using his techniques, Aizen took control of one of the most powerful Generals ever known. He had taken Ginrei Kuchiki's spot in the army after he had passed on: Kouga Kuchiki. He and his Lieutenant at the time, designation Muromasa, sought to take control of the country from Section 46 and the king. Kouga had the help of the Assassin Akutabi Gamma, and hundreds of the clan of archers known as the Quincy. Essess saw no other option but to fight Kouga's group. They fought back of course. The Quincies were all killed, except for two: Soken Ishida, who retired to Karakura Town with his family, and Soken's son. Soken trained his son and would train his grandson in the ways of the Quincy so that their way of life would be remembered. In all the confusion, Aizen, Kaname, and Ichimaru killed every member of Section 46 and their guards. They had no time to call any of the other generals, or even the Royal Guard that they had used before. _

_From their chamber, Aizen orchestrated the execution of Kouga Kuchiki for killing several well known warriors of Essess. Sora Inoue, Fishbone, and Muromasa saved him from the execution. Sora Inoue had no idea what his foster-father had been planning, so he went to Kouga's rescue. However, they were betrayed by Muromasa. He wanted Kouga for himself, and did not want people to get in the way of his happiness so he fought against the group. Kouga realized that Muromasa was no longer the man he once loved. He had become insane with bloodlust. He killed for the thrill of it, and showed no remorse. Kouga would never fight in the same style as Muromasa, but was cruel to people himself. He just did not see it that way._

_In the end, Kouga came in between Muromasa and the group. Angry that he would get in his way, Muromasa cut off Kouga's left foot. Enraged at the cruelty of Muromasa, Fishbone attacked him using his own brand of magic. Meanwhile, General Ukitake (He uses two swords just like in the manga or Anime), Aizen's lieutenant, Momo Hinamori, and her subordinate, Rangiku Matsumoto, went to Section 46 to ask them to pardon Kouga Kuchiki and stop the execution so that they could stop the others from fighting elsewhere._

_Aizen killed Momo Hinamori, and fought against Ukitake. Ichimaru came into the chamber. Thinking he was there to help him, Ukitake showed his back to Ichimaru. Because of her romantic relationship with Ichimaru, Matsumoto stayed back, thinking that he would stop Aizen himself. Aizen dropped his sword, and said he surrendered. Ukitake let his guard down, and was stabbed in the back by Ichimaru. The combination of the stab wound and his own sickness claimed Ukitake's life. He perished. Matsumoto ran out of the room before either of them could catch her, and they did not even care for her. Aizen and Ichimaru met up with Kaname. They had finished learning all they needed about the king of Essess and the entrance points to his palace located in the center ring of the city of Seireitei/Rokungai. Division Zero was the most formidable army force that Essess had, so they decided that they would need their own elite army. They learned all they needed from Essess, and decided to start full out war against Essess with their own group of followers they had created. _

_Unbeknownst to any of them, Akutabi Gamma was a spy for Shirosaki. After learning all he could about Kouga Kuchiki, the strongest General of all, and then finding out about the betrayal of Aizen and his group of soldiers, he kidnapped Matsumoto before she could tell anyone about Aizen's betrayal. Aizen made a clean getaway. Or so it seemed. A medic named Hanataro Yamada had been called to the Section 46 chambers by one of the dying members. He was too late to save the person who called him because Aizen and Ichimaru were there fighting the others. He heard everything they said about taking over Essess. He heard that Aizen said he would become a god to Ukitake who had still been alive at the time. After Aizen and Ichimaru had left, they seemed not to notice Yamada. He popped out of his hiding place and checked the vitals of every member of the 46 Council. No one survived the assault. _

_Yamada ran as fast as he could back to the Execution ground where his General stood with the others as they watched the execution/battle. He made it up the hill where the large axe would have been seen. However, Muromasa and the others had cut it down. The General Commander was there doing battle with Yoruichi Shihoin and Shunsui Kyoraku for their part in stopping the execution from happening. Muromasa came with a group of men to Kouga's location on the execution grounds. They surrounded him, and trapped him in a coffin with four axe-like blades that sliced into the coffin, stapling it to the ground. Muromasa betrayed Kouga._

_Yoruichi and Kyoraku were beaten down. Soifon, Yoruichi's body-guard and protégé betrayed her, putting duty before any emotions that she felt for her master. Soifon poisoned Yoruichi and Kyoraku with poison darts. Kyoraku stumbled as if he was drunk and even groped Yoruichi's butt cheek. Yoruichi transformed herself using magic, and became a black cat. Kyoraku fell unconscious, and would have died had not General of Fourth Division, Retsu Unohana healed him. _

_Kisuke Urahara and Tessai Tsukabishi had deduced Aizen's plans from information he had borrowed from the archives. Urahara and Tessai went with their best men and women to stop the three generals who were aiming to escape Essess and wage war against the country. Aizen had taken his adopted daughter Orihime from her home. He went to the execution grounds to get Fishbone, Muromasa, and Sora. Fishbone and Sora fought against Muromasa and his soldiers. Muromasa went for the black coffin, and tried to get Kouga out of the confines of the coffin. Tosen Kaname rushed into battle, and before Kouga could be released, Tosen threw a grenade, and almost killed Muromasa. Sora and Fishbone looked at their leaders, who began killing Muromasa's men. Muromasa, although wounded faced Aizen, while Orihime was shielded from the battle. Muromasa tried using his own magic to control Ichimaru in order to kill Aizen._

_Ichimaru knew how to overcome Muromasa's power and he used his own spear to impale Muromasa. The man bled a torrent of blood, and fell on the ground. Aizen told Yamamoto his plans of dominating the land. Right then, Urahara and Tessai came with their group of soldiers in order to stop Aizen. There were many men and women who knew how to use magic, and knew what to look for when someone wanted to control them with a spell. They tried to attack Aizen, but he summoned giants to defend him and the rest of his group. These giants were slow yet strong. There seemed to be at least fifty of them. The armies of Essess rushed to kill them using their own four giants, Jidanbo Ikkanzaka, Hikonyuto, Danzomaru, and Kaiwan along with other weapons. The giants of Essess were the defenders of the gates into Seireitei, the richest part of the city which housed the generals and sections of their armies, the nobility of Seireitei, and in an inner ring, the Royal Palace, which could not be accessed by anyone other than the Zero Division, which were all inside the Palace._

_Aizen, Sora, Orihime, Fishbone, Kaname, and Ichimaru climbed the highest building, and using magic, they summoned huge eagles to come to their aid (Gandalf LOTR anyone?). They flew away from the execution grounds and met their army outside of the city, and they travelled to Hueco Mundo. In the meantime, Akutabi Gamma took Rangiku Matsumoto to Shirosaki's Monastery, and reported to Shirosaki himself about all the events that happened. General Commander Yamamoto named Byakuya Kuchiki as successor of Kouga Kuchiki in the rank of General of the Sixth Division. Kouga Kuchiki and the coffin were moved to another location outside the city, even outside Rokungai._ _Kaien Shiba was named as General of the 13__th__ Division, but he could not decide on a Lieutenant, so had the two third seats of the Division, Kiyone Kotetsu and Sentaro Kotsubaki, to fill the responsibilities of the Lieutenant. Shiba's wife, Miyako Shiba would have been the Lieutenant since she was the former third seat, but due to an illness that took her suddenly, she had to resign the post and either settle for an unseated position, or quit the army entirely. She chose the latter, and had Kaien's and Yamamoto's blessing. She had been one of the loudest voices in the army for the equal treatment of women. She had brought many women into the army, and had trained them herself. _

_**Author's Note: **__Byakuya and Hisana had seen the meteorite crash before Aizen betrayed everyone, and made Kouga do whatever…It was also before the execution. This is the end of the flashback, and you all know the rest…_

**End of Flashback**

Aizen and Szayel perfected their mind control techniques, and started experimenting on various creatures their armies had caught throughout Hueco Mundo. They found and controlled giants and ogres. They controlled the wild men and women. They made all of the people they controlled make armor for the creatures and the other warriors. Forests were cut down. Farms were harvest prematurely to feed everyone. Aizen sent parties to go out throughout the land to see what they could find. In the next few years, they travelled all around Hueco Mundo, capturing any creature they could that seemed formidable. Many died. Several of the generals went out themselves to recruit people. Nnoitra Jiruga killed the people who did not want any part of the army that Aizen was amassing. Nelliel Tu Oderschvank stopped him from killing any more, saying that he should not be doing this. Nelliel and Nnoitra were both promoted to General status of Aizen's army. So was Grimmjow, Yammy, Szayel, Baragan, the woman with blond hair Tia Harribel, the masked man Aaroniero Arruruerie, and the man with green eyes, tear tattoos, and black hair; Ulquiorra Schiffer. They were all the elite members of Aizen's army. Sora Inoue would have been another general, but alas, he was killed. Gin Ichimaru and Tosen Kaname had their own group of monsters and warriors that they commanded. There was one last general, named Zommari Leroux.

Orihime Inoue lived in complete ignorance. No one informed her about what had happened during the war meetings Aizen had with his generals. She had been caught several times by her servants when she tried to see what the meetings were about. She had learned that Sora had died, and had been present at his funeral. She had cried, overcome with grief. In honor of her brother, she had a shrine dedicated to him in a separate room. She visited the shrine every day, and paid homage to her brave, strong brother: Sora Inoue. She promised him that she would never cut her hair, until it got to her lower back. (Let's be realistic here, if Orihime left her hair to truly grow long, it might grow to her feet, and drag on the floor. A princess should never have their hair be soiled.) The length of her hair added to her beauty. Many of the noble women of Hueco Mundo knew about their princess, who was kind, gentle, caring, and above all, had a sense of righteousness.

She helped whoever she could. She made her servants into dear friends. They enjoyed her company. She had a strong connection with Neliel, who would visit the princess whenever she could, whenever she was not overseeing the training of her portion of the army. Grimmjow did not particularly enjoy being in either Orihime's presence, or Aizen's. Grimmjow still lusted for power. He was jealous of his wife, because she was general of a stronger army than he was. She and Harribel were higher ranking than him and Nnoitra. Both men felt inferior, and sought to gain more power, for different reasons altogether.

Orihime always hid her true feelings. She always was smiling, speaking to herself, and telling weird stories of metal beings fighting each other. No one knew where she got such ideas from, but they were all amused nonetheless. Aizen always found the time to take walks with his daughter. They spoke about the beauty of the world. They spoke about food, and sometimes, they would speak about how brave Sora had been. Aizen knew that Orihime was in pain. He knew that deep down; she wanted to be so much more. She wanted to help her foster-father in his war any way that she could. He knew that she was no fighter. She was better at making wounded soldiers well by helping in their recovery.

In the years to come, Orihime would prove to be a very wise and capable negotiator when it came to speaking to the people of the land. This was something Aizen had not the time for, so he did leave it to her. Orihime believed in Aizen's plan, although she had no idea he wanted to become king of Essess. She thought he wanted to free Hueco Mundo from the grip of Essess. For more than a hundred years, there was conflict with the two nations. There had been war. Essess had been victorious. Now, Hueco Mundo was in debt to Essess, and had to pay back the people of Essess for the costs of war. When Aizen came to power, they stopped paying Essess. This brought more conflict to the lives of Hueco Mundo's citizens, as well as the citizens of Essess.

There were few instances when people fought each other, but it was not full out war…

…or at least, not yet…

_**GoldDragon08: **_Can you guys that favorite this or put it on the alert review, please? Whatever, this is a fun story to write, so I'm going to see it through, and complete it, from start to finish, despite the lack of reviews, or even the lack of people favorite it, or put it on the alert.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Knight of Karakura: Chapter Three**

Dust filled Ichigo's lungs, making him cough up mucous. His whole body ached all over. He was covered in dry blood from wounds that had been inflicted on him by the elements and the fight he had been in when his mother died. He walked on, despite the hot sun that shone on him. His sweat seeped into his wounds, adding salt to his wounds, making them hurt so much more. Ichigo's sight was blurry, and there was a pounding in the back of his head. He needed something to drink, or he would surely die. He had been walking for three days with little to drink, and nothing to eat. He moved by his will alone. The sun still stayed in the sky above him. He stumbled on the rocky path he followed. Falling, he scratched his knees. He fell to the ground, panting from the effort. He heard pounding coming from far away. At first he thought it was his heart. He rolled onto his back, and winced from the pain. He snapped open his eyes when he noticed the pounding got louder. He regretted the action because the hot sun burnt his irises. He sat up, and looked where the pounding was coming from. The pounding turned into the clapping of hooves. Someone on a horse was coming closer to him. No, more than one horse was coming towards him. Ichigo clambered to his feet, and ran off the path, into golden wheat that surrounded the path. He ducked down in the wheat. He had come to a farm, but this was not his. He was hoping to find his home before the day was up, but this proved to be impossible. He had only gone a few miles from the town that had been taken over by people who did not care.

Ichigo peered from the wheat as men on horses came into view. He sank deeper into the wheat so they would not see him. He heard voices, and then he heard an all too familiar voice. Ichigo wondered how on Earth the man survived, but unfortunately, he had:

"We have to find that brat!" Shrieker said to his comrades. "If he squeals on us, we're dead. G.F. is dead, but if people find out that we killed Masaki Kurosaki, they'll come looking for us. She was well known in the town she was from. People loved her. Her husband almost killed me for fuck sake. If we don't kill the brat, we'll have assholes coming for us. Isshin Kurosaki might come for us himself."

"Take it easy." A man said in a feminine voice. "I'm one of Aizen's elite warriors. If anyone comes to us, I'll kill them myself. There is nothing for you to fear. The only person you need to fear is me! Ha, ha, ha!"

"Yeah, very funny, Luppi." Shrieker said sarcastically. "I'm sure he went this way, where the fuck could that brat be?"

"You can't tell me you can't see it?" Luppi said as he bent down onto the ground.

"He lay right here." Luppi said to his companions said. "He got up, and his tracks lead into the field right here."

Suddenly, a sword cut through the wheat. Luckily, it was a few meters away from Ichigo's actual location. However, this still made Ichigo's heart race. Luppi walked through the wheat and Shrieker followed. Ichigo's eyes widened and his mouth went dry. Luppi wore a white uniform with the side of his stomach exposed. He had long sleeves that fell over his hands. He wore makeup, much like a woman. He had a white hair piece in his hair. His pants looked more like a skirt than actual pants. Shrieker wore black armor with red cloth on his arms and legs. Ichigo did not move, and he did not even breathe. Sweat continued pouring down his forehead, and into his eyes. He clenched his eyes shut, and brought his hand up to his face to wipe the sweat away from it. The movement of his hand brushed against the wheat. Luppi and Shrieker froze when they heard the wheat moving. Ichigo froze once more and fear gripped his heart in its cold fist. Suddenly, and arm reached through the wheat right next to Ichigo, and a hand grabbed his throat, lifting him from the wheat, above the path. Ichigo tried to breathe, but to no avail. He grasped the arm that held him. He looked into the face of the man who grabbed him. It was someone Ichigo did not recognize, or even know.

"Yo guys," The man called out. "I went fishing and found a shrimp! I think its dinner time!"

Luppi and Shrieker came out of the wheat and looked at the man who held Ichigo in one hand. Shrieker smiled triumphantly as he unsheathed a knife, and poked Ichigo in the side with it. Fresh blood came from the new wound. Ichigo winced. He could not talk because the hand was squeezing him too tight. Darkness threatened to take over Ichigo's sight, but he fought against it. He fought it so that he could stay alive. He dug his nails into the man's arm, but the man seemed not to notice it. Shrieker tasted the blood that was on his knife.

"This blood tastes like shit!" Shrieker said. "He's not worth eating."

"I don't know about you guys." Luppi said, "But I feel an urge to feast on his flesh coming on."

"Me too." The man holding Ichigo said. "We'll eat him once I squeeze the life from his little neck!"

Suddenly, there was a black blur that went right through the man's arm, severing it. The man screamed as blood flowed from the wound. The man fell onto the ground, writing in pain before shock overcame him, making him unconscious. Luppi, Ichigo, and Shrieker just gazed at the person who had just wounded the biggest man. They had not heard the man approaching: There were no hoof sounds, and no footsteps heard. The bushes and wheat had not been moved. It was as if he just appeared there before them. The man had long brown hair, and had a small beard in a short goatee. He wore a long black coat with a white shirt underneath. The cloth from his shirt poked through above the jacket he wore, and on the sleeves. The jacket was tight fitting. Ichigo looked at his feet. He wore long boots. The man had a huge sword which was black and grey on the edge. White-yellow cloth was wrapped around the hilt, and fell down, making a long tassel. The sword looked like a big cleaver. For some reason that was unknown to them, there was no trace of blood on the blade. It seemed that the man had slashed with enough speed not to get blood on the blade.

"Aren't you hot in all the black?" Luppi asked the man. "I swear, you have no sense of style. Maybe I should teach you a thing or two."

"You don't know who you are messing with!" Shrieker said about Luppi, "This is one of Sosuke Aizen's best warriors. You have no hope in winning!"

The man said nothing. Instead, he brought his sword up with his right hand, and slammed the blade into the ground. The man walked forward unarmed. Luppi and Shrieker unsheathed their swords, and both smiled with cocky grins. The man continued to walk forward. Shrieker screamed and rushed forward. In a swift movement, the man dashed forward, and slammed his fist into the man's stomach, leaving a dent in the armor. The man turned around rapidly, and brought up his right heel to slam into the right temple of Shrieker's head, making the man fall onto the bare ground beside the path. Shrieker's sword fell in pieces from the tremendous force that the man had exerted. Ichigo barely caught the man's movements: he had moved very fast, unlike anything Ichigo thought was possible. Luppi smirked and giggled.

"Wow!" Luppi said. "You killed two men in a matter of seconds, almost a minute. Maybe I was wrong about you, maybe you are worthy to fight me."

The man walked toward Luppi not acknowledging what Luppi said. Luppi's smile disappeared from his face. He started moving his hands as if they were tentacles. They were in a motion that seemed to be unlike any human was capable of.

"Look out!" Ichigo screamed to the man as Luppi slashed at him.

The man caught Luppi's sword in between his left index and middle finger. Luppi's eyes widened as the man readied his fist. The man tried punching Luppi, but the smaller man dodged the attack. He let go of his sword and back flipped to the horses. He grabbed two spears, and ran forward with them. The man dropped the sword. He caught both spears by their heads. Using Luppi's energy, the man rolled backward on the ground, bringing Luppi up over him. Luppi let go of the spears as the man flipped back onto his feet. Luppi fell to his feet just in front of the man. Luppi had two knives in his hands, and aimed for both of the man's jugular veins on his neck. Using his left hand, the man grabbed Luppi's right hand, and made Luppi stab his other hand. Luppi dropped the knife that was in his left hand. He gritted his teeth and backed away from the man. Luppi took the knife from his wound. He held it in his right hand and prepared to throw it. The man simply kicked the knife that was on the ground, and it went sailing right into Luppi's heart before Luppi could throw the blade. He fell onto his back, dead before he reached the ground. Ichigo looked at the man's back, and then passed out. It had taken all of his energy that he had in order to look at the fight…

And that was all that Ichigo knew while darkness overcame him.

**Author's Note: **The man was Zang, or Zangetsu. He was wielding Shikai Zangetsu. He attacked Shrieker much like how Ichigo had attacked the three Lieutenants in the Rescue-Soul Society ark before Ichigo's Bankai was revealed to us all. I think Zangetsu would be badass just like that. I hate the new arc and how they made Zangetsu to be weak shit. If he used his Bankai, I'm sure he could kick both Ichigo and his Hollow form's ass, but nooo Ichigo had to use his Hollow powers to make a Getsuga that was more powerful than Bankai Zangetsu's. Lame…A Bankai was said to be like ten times that of a normal Soul Reaper's powers, so where was all that power? Does that mean the Hollow within Ichigo is that much more powerful? Then that means Yammy, Grimmjow, Ulquiorra, and Nnoitra are way more powerful, and so was Zeraki, who was beaten by Ichigo before he learned Bankai or how to use the mask?!?! On with this story:

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Akutabi Gamma made it back to the Monastery a few days after Aizen's defection to Hueco Mundo. He came to it with Rangiku Matsumoto. She had been beaten quite badly, and a huge gash ran from below her neck to her him on the opposite side. She was knocked unconscious, but was bound and gagged just in case. Gamma had on his back a sword that was wrapped in black cloth, and even had black cloth wrapped around the hilt. (This was the white Zangetsu in Shikai form). On the throne sat Shirsaki, and to his left sat a girl with dark colored hair. Gamma smiled triumphantly as Shirosaki looked at what he had brought.

"Wow!" Shirosaki said. "What do you plan on doing with her?"

"This place is lacking in the female department." Gamma said. "I'm sure a few of the boys won't mind her presence, what with all the drugs and all."

"Drugs, what drugs?" Shirosaki asked. "There are no drugs here, where are you getting your information-I hate the stuff. It's shit. But do with her what you will. I don't care."

"Do you want her for anything?" Gamma asked Shirosaki. "I mean, I'm positive everything works in her."

"I'll fuck her when she wakes up." Shirosaki said. "Tuck her away for now. For fuck's sake, take that disgusting looking clothes off her, and put her into something better."

"Yes sir!" Gamma said as he motioned to other servants who gathered to see what Gamma had come in with. "Take her to the medics, and then put her in the whore pit."

"Lord Shirosaki." Twelve-year-old Miko (A magic-using witch-like character somewhat like Tomoyo-Hime from Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle. If I misspelled her name, well that sucks. She's Kurogane's world's Tomoyo or w/e :P) Senna said from her spot to Shirosaki's left. "Why did you order our archers to kill most of the soldiers of Hueco Mundo and Essess."

Senna wore a brown and gold dress. Her hair was long and went to the middle of her back. Some of it was done in a purple bow, tied together with a red ribbon. The dress she wore showed a portion of her legs. She wore simple shoes which did not need to be tied up. On her back was a staff that she used for her magic. Shirosaki had put on a black jacket that went down to his knees. His bare chest showed through. He still wore the same ragged pants and mask with the horns. His hair remained in its state that it was earlier.

"Because," Shirosaki said. "I want both countries to realize someone was behind the attacks, making them have faith that maybe neither country needs to go to war. They are just having some misunderstandings, so this may prolong the peace between the countries."

"But why would you of all people want _peace?"_ Senna asked her master. "I thought you would enjoy this type of thing."

"Neither side is interested in what I do, or make you all do." Shirosaki said. "But I have seen things from the future. Haven't you?"

"Yes, I have." Senna said. "Someone's going to kill me in the future, and I won't be able to see my family again. And that makes working for you kind of hard."

"Your family promised me your services for twenty years. If you die during it, then it can't be helped. Besides, Senna, didn't you see who you will be with for the next few years? You're going to be quite influential in his training."

"Yes. That is why I haven't attempted an escape to save myself. My fate is sealed, but the fate of Karakura Town is in jeopardy if we don't make the boy into the man he needs to be. Karakura will be and remain neutral in the war to come. People will die, but that's war. It will be used for negotiations and other missions necessary for both sides to win the war. If one side gets the boy, they could turn the tide of war. I cannot see beyond that."

"At least you know your family is still alive, unlike Zang, whose family is all owned."

"The creatures you had me made the shield for around the Monastery are converging on Zang and the boy!" Senna realized when she sensed that Zang and Ichigo were close.

"Oh Senna!" Shirosaki said, coming beside her, placing an arm on her shoulder. "Of course Zang has to face those monsters! Think of the fun! Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh!"

Shirosaki continued laughing while he danced. He went to the doors to the throne room, and opened it. He ran down the corridors of the Monastery passing by the people who lived in it as they stood at attention, saluting their master, or bowing in reverence. Shirosaki made it to the window to where Zang could be seen. Shirosaki grabbed a spear from a nearby guard, and stuck it in the snow, for the Monastery was in the mountains, surrounded by snow, and creatures that were white with red heads, hands, and feet. (Think of the blank souls from the first BLEACH Movie: Memories of Nobody.) Senna was the only one to create a shield to keep the Monastery safe from the creatures. Of course, Shirosaki could have a field day fighting the monsters, but after a while, they just became too much. There were a lot of the creatures in the mountains. Shirosaki climbed up the spear to the second floor window. He grabbed it, and pulled up the spear. He looked in the window at a sleeping guard, opened it by prying it open with the spear, and used the spear to stab the guards hand so that they would wake up. The guard yelled in pain.

"Wakey, Wakey!" Shirosaki said. "Be a dear and grab one of those cannons we never use. Put a cannon ball inside, and fire away. Unless of course you want me to do it. If that is the case, guess who will be the lucky ball that I will fire!"

"Me?" The guard said while wrapping his hand in a cloth. "Sir, yes sir!"

The guard ran frantically, and grabbed the cannon. He yelled for other people to assist him. Two others came into the room, and put the cannon in position. They armed it with gun powder, and a cannon ball.

"Where do you want me to fire?" The guard asked.

"Aim for Zang's position." Shirosaki said. "Cover him while he makes his approach. Don't actually kill him. I reserve that sort of fun for myself. Tell one of the other guards to alert the motherfucking archers wherever they are! Fuck, you'd think they would take advantage of this place being literally crawling with those ugly motherfuckers! You'd think they would continue to improve their skills! But do they? No! I feel like killing something!"

Shirosaki leapt from the window so that the cannon could be placed there. Archers started filling rooms with windows that faced the area Zang was approaching. Zang was upon a horse. Ichigo was in his arms, wrapped up in Zang's coat to keep him warm. Zang barely felt the cold. The creatures started circling the horse, which Zang continued patting on the head so that it would not be afraid of the carnivores which wanted to taste its flesh. The cannon fired, and blasted a group of the creatures that were gathered in front of Zang and the horse's way. Zang unwrapped his sword from the cloth it was in. He held Ichigo and the horse's reigns in the other hand, his left hand. Zang cut down the closest creatures to his right, and made a small path for the horse to move as archers started firing arrows. They fired as much arrows as was needed to kill the creatures. Senna walked outside while Shirosaki ran to and fro, as if he were dancing. Highly skilled in the art of killing, Shirosaki used his horns that were attached to his mask, and his spear to kill the creatures. He worked fast, and got covered in the red blood that leaked out of the creatures' wounds. One creature grabbed him by his coat, and pulled him. He leapt over it and stabbed it in the back. Three creatures pounced on him. He turned into a ball in the snow, rolling onto his back, while holding the spear in both hands. He kicked up the middle creature while the other two attacked from the sides. Shirosaki used the spear to hit both in the head, killing one of them. The two creatures that were left slashed at Shirosaki's skin, but Shirosaki used footwork, and his brute strength to break one of their arms. The animal screeched in pain.

Senna continued walking forward towards the horse that Zang was on top of, defending the horse, himself and Ichigo from the hungry creatures that threatened to consume them all. Senna seemed to be invisible to the creatures as they continued attacking the horse from both sides as Zang effortlessly used his sword to kill them. He would decapitate them, stab them, slash open wounds on them, and sometimes he would even kick out with his left foot if he could not bring his sword to the other side in time. Senna reached the horse, and soothed it because it was really frightened. Zang had been fighting with it as it almost reared up on its hind legs. Senna led the horse through the snow, and the creatures seemed to lose sight of Zang, Ichigo, or the horse. Because Shirosaki was the only person out there and not under Senna's spell, the animals started circling him. He was giddy with excitement.

"All this for me?" Shirosaki mockingly began making it sound like he was crying from being touched, however, this was not true. "I'm going to enjoy this."

One animal attacked from the rear. Shirosaki cartwheeled away just in time. A creature lashed out because Shirosaki came too close. He slammed the spear on its head, rendering it unconscious. Four creatures pounced on him. He elbowed one in the face while punching another one with the same arm. For the other two, he got them to munch on the spear. He slammed his pushed them over quite effortlessly, and flipped in the air as one ran under him. He came down slamming both heels into two beasts' heads. He stabbed one that jumped into the air to get him. One succeeded on grabbing his leg with its arms. He stabbed it with his horns while back fisting one's head that came too close. The archers had stopped firing after Zang and his horse had been led into the foyer of the Monastery. Shirosaki looked to the bodies that had arrows in them. He used the spear to launch himself over the group of creatures.

"I guess the archers might need their arrows back." Shirosaki sighed. "Time for work, not for fun."

Shirosaki gathered the arrows from the bodies as he defended himself from the creatures with his horns and spear. He put as many arrows as he could find into a bit pile, and started flipping the spear over and over, smacking creatures in the head, or killing them with the spear head. He kicked a few that came up behind him. He broke their spines, rendering them vulnerable. He was an awesome martial artist, and used as many skills as he could to kill or maim many of the creatures that attacked him. He pulled out a knife from his jacket pocket, and threw it. He kept getting it back by pulling it from corpses while using the spear to kill the other creatures. One time, he stabbed one creature, and then rammed the creature's body into another, and continued doing this with enough force that he made a cabob. He used his leg to get the spear out of the bodies. He retrieved the arrows and his knife and made it inside again. He gave the arrows to one of the servants, and gave the spear to one of the guards. He took off his jacket and summoned another servant to clean it.

"Fuck its cold!" Shirosaki shivered. "I gotta start wearing shirts and shit."

"Ugh…" Senna said. "Sir, this is a child, so maybe you could stop swearing, please?"

"I don't recall fucking swearing to anything." Shirosaki scratched his head.

Senna just shook her head. While Shirosaki had been out having his fun, she, Zang, and one of the servants were hard at work cleaning Ichigo's wounds. He had gotten a fever because of not being treated in time. Zang took him to the medical wing of the Monastery. Shirosaki had some water boiled and drank it. Several servants went out of the Monastery to retrieve the dead animals' carcasses so that they could eat. Several times a day, servants had to travel to the nearest farm to buy food, or had to hunt or fish for food. They sometimes stole money from travelling people. Shirosaki had his Monastery placed in a secret location unknown to the generals of Essess or Hueco Mundo, but needed it to be built in a strategic spot that was accessible to markets so that they could sell the creatures' hides for profit. Senna's spells that she had placed on the building itself made it seem to be invisible until someone was up close to it. Even at night when the candles and torches were lit throughout the building, the light could not be seen if someone was far away, and could only be seen if they were up close.

They also made a type of drug that was formed from the moss that grew under the mountain. There was a passage under the Monastery so that servants could gather the moss. They then formed it into something someone could eat or smoke to get high. Shirosaki hated drugs, even if it was medicine for him to get better and be healed. He allowed his servants to make it so that they could all continue living in the home they had built, and to pass the time when they were bored.

The warriors of Shirosaki's Monastery were constantly tested. They had to constantly train to defend their home against invaders, other creatures, and against Shirosaki himself. Those who survived his wrath were considered to be of the best warriors in the land. They would all be fit to serve in either Hueco Mundo's army, or in Essess' army. Shirosaki formed his soldiers so that they could be the best of the best. Even Senna, the youngest person to be employed by Shirosaki until Ichigo had come had to be on her toes in case her master ever decided that he wanted to test himself against her magic. He had attacked her several times, but Senna either used magic to get away from him, to stop him, or Zang came to her defense and fought Shirosaki.

Shirosaki would not dare kill either Senna or Zang because they were his most faithful servants. They could watch out for themselves by cooking food, sewing, or knitting clothes, or even practicing with weapons. Senna had her own sword she could use, but she did not carry it around with her. She only carried around her staff so that she could cast spells, or bless an object that Shirosaki or anyone else needed to be blessed. Zang had received his new black sword as a gift from Shirosaki who had it forged from the pieces of meteorite that Senna and the other servants had recovered. Up until that time, Zang had been using the white version of the sword (A White Zangetsu, which was used in the manga/anime when Ichigo fought his Hollow-self for dominance when he learned how to control the mask). The black blade was said to be as strong as the white metal. For some reason, it was somewhat heavier than the white metal, and after training with it for a day and a half, Zang had gotten used to it. Other weapons were created for the other soldiers of Shirosaki's Monastery. They were all surprised by how Shirosaki had been so generous. However, there was an uneasy feeling that Shirosaki had been planning something else all along…

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A few days past. Ichigo was still unconscious although he had woken up to see Senna holding his hand. She had not left his side since he arrived. She made sure his wounds were dressed and used magic to make the healing process go faster. She even made him swallow a blue substance that also boosted his healing factor permanently. That means that when he ever got wounded, the wound would heal itself faster than a normal human being could. Senna said a prayer for Ichigo. While he slept, he dreamt of his mother being killed over and over. Senna entered his mind, and witnessed the violence that the eight-year-old boy had endured. She even saw what Zang and Isshin Kurosaki had done to save Ichigo. Ichigo looked to Zang as being similar to his father. Senna saw what Ichigo thought of her: a kind girl who could be a big sister…but no one on this Earth could replace his dearest mother. She had been the center of his family's lives. She took care of them. She sacrificed many sleepless nights to take care of them when they were ill. She cooked for many hours. She travelled for many miles to find help if they needed something. She stayed up until Isshin came home, no matter how long he stayed out on the farm. She made sure the clothes were cleaned. She always smiled to her children. She and Isshin did have arguments, but she was never overly strict, despite the fact that she had mood swings during her pregnancies. She never raised her voice to her children or her husband. She had a calming effect on everyone in the family, and that was what Senna wanted to be for Ichigo in his time of need. His mother was now dead, and Ichigo had no idea what happened to the rest of his family. For all he knew, they could all have died in the fire.

Senna thought of Ichigo as another vulnerable person who was a lot like her. Senna would never dare tell anyone this, but she was lonely. She had to always be prim and proper, despite Shirosaki's antics. Sometimes, the master of the Monastery would check to see if everyone was decent. If they were not, they would be punished much to Shirosaki's delight. He was the one who got to punish people.

Senna yawned as she placed a wet towel on the boy's head. He was running a fever as his body fought the bacteria and germs that invaded his body. She wanted to stay with him and be there when he woke up. She did not want him to be alone. Suddenly, she felt eyes upon her. Senna looked behind her, and came face to face with an unmasked Shirosaki. He had the same facial features of Ichigo, except was much older. He also had yellow eyes as opposed to Ichigo's brown or hazel eyes. For some reason, Shirosaki was dressed in dark orange robes, similar to the uniform that was worn by monks of another country, Senna smiled to try and hide her concern at why Shirosaki was here.

"How's our little patient doing, Senna?" Shirosaki asked, quite bored while Senna attempted to clear her voice to try and get rid of the knot that had formed in her throat. "I haven't really seen you for a few days."

"He will be well in a few days, master." Senna said. "He's gone through quite an ordeal. His mother died, and he doesn't know what happened to the rest of his family. He'll need someone to be there for him when he wakes up."

"Zang will come to him when he wakes up." Shirosaki said, "He will provide all the loving this boy will need. Zang will train him to become a soldier that this world has never seen before. He doesn't quite have my lust for blood, but I guess beggars can't be choosers when it comes to finding their sons."

"This boy," Senna said, looking to the boy as his face transformed to one of pain. "He is your son?"

"In a matter of speaking." Shirosaki said. "You do remember my ring collection, right?"

"The rings used to obtain the Zombie Powder, yes I know about it. What does this have to do with Ichigo?"

"Whenever you use the Zombie Powder, you must pay a price. I wished for immortality. This Monastery has stood the test of time, and has been here for 150 years. I am older than it. My price was that I could not sire descendents if I lived forever. That means I get no rug rats. It's a pain in the ass because there would never be someone who could get the same characteristics as mine and be able to be an awesome warrior. I had one of my servants ask for a wish of the Zombie Powder. He betrayed me and asked the Zombie Powder to create someone of my bloodline who would be able to kill me. One of my relatives who was not a descendent of mine had a son who had similar traits to me. My seed, it seems, was magically implanted into the woman, or maybe the seed of the man was changed, I don't fucking know. That means if Ichigo and I were to fight, there would be a chance that I would die."

"Then why are you training him?"

"It gets boring if nothing hurts you anymore. Come now Senna, think of the fun we'll have together when he gets old enough. I might even ask the Zombie Powder to grant immortality to him as well. We were meant to fight each other. Just thinking about it gives me the shivers, or maybe someone just opened a window? Anyway, Zang is to train him into the man I need him to be. After his training is complete, we'll have a grand ceremony, and I will give him one of my swords. Actually, I'll give him the second best sword that I have. Until that ceremony, he is not to come near my chambers, my whole wing of the Monastery, or even the underground training grounds I have set aside for myself. He cannot see me at all. He can use the other areas underground that Zang and the others use."

"You're going to give him that sword?"

"Yes, he'll need it if he's to save Karakura Town."

"Can I ask you for something?"

"I guess I can give you something for being so faithful to me. What is it that you want?"

"I also would like to train him. I would also like to be there for him as he grows older. He lost his mother and perhaps his whole family, and though I can't replace them, I want to show him love before he has to fight for his life."

"Dude, if you want to fuck him, that's your problem. He's sleeping now, so I guess you can't fuck him. If you want to be his little buddy, be warned: The person who kills you might be him in the end."

"That's a chance I'm willing to take."

"Suit yourself. I'm going to go kill some more red and white mother fuckers that we have outside. See you later. I might call you or Zang for a few favors when you are training the boy, so don't stray too far from here. I mean the building."

"Yes sir, thank you, sir."

With that, Shirosaki left Senna to continue tending to Ichigo as he fought his inner demons.

**

* * *

**

Ichigo awoke. His fever had gone, and his wounds had mostly healed. There were certain sore points, but nothing too serious. His back pained him from when the rock destroyed the town and created a shockwave. Apparently nothing was broken although Ichigo was in much pain. He noticed a girl sleeping in a chair that was really close to the bed he had been sleeping in. She was a young girl, maybe 12 years old. Her right hand was really close to Ichigo's, or where his had been before he woke up. Ichigo noticed that he was in a huge room with four other beds, but there were no other patients. Ichigo slipped from the covers, and headed to the nearest door while Senna continued to sleep. Ichigo was surprised to see snow outside. It was the summer where he lived with his family, so how could there be snow if it was summer? Had Ichigo been asleep for all that time? His family…Ichigo thought about them. Fresh tears stung his eyes as he thought of his mother, two sisters, and hard-working father.

Senna rustled as she moved from the painful position she had been in. Ichigo watched her from the window. She rubbed her neck and winced from the pain. She rubbed it and yawned, but then she noticed that Ichigo was not in the bed. She got up quickly and looked for Ichigo, who walked over to her. She looked to the door, and saw that it was closed. Then, she heard Ichigo's soft footsteps. She looked in his direction. The tears were still brimming in his eyes. Sennas expression softened but was one of worry. Ichigo bowed his head as he closed his eyes.

"Thank you for staying with me." Ichigo told her. "You didn't have to. I'm not worth it. I let my family die."

Senna slapped Ichigo across the face.

"Hey why'd you do that for?!?! Ichigo asked, holding his cheek where Senna's hand bruised it

And then he saw it. Senna was also close to tears herself, as if she felt his pain. Ichigo dropped his hands from his face, and Senna quickly took him into a tight embrace. Ichigo didn't know what to do, but returned her hug gently. They both cried…

**

* * *

**

"You tried to do the right thing." Zang told Ichigo as they stood on a snowy hill. "You tried to beat your enemies, but you think you were not strong enough. Is that true?"

"They were way bigger than me." Ichigo replied. "There's no way I could have laid a hand on them."

"But you did." Zang said. "You threw the knife at that man's leg. You hurt him. Can you take it, Ichigo? Can you understand how hurting someone affects you? Are you the type of man who will enjoy hurting others?"

"I like to fight, because it makes me feel strong." Ichigo said.

"It makes you feel strong?" Zang said. "But it does not make you strong. Your mind makes you strong. A sword is only as affective as the person using it. Our great master Shirosaki is by far, the best swordsman in this Monastery. He can kill someone blindfolded even if he was not using a sword."

"I heard people talking about him." Ichigo replied. "They said he's really a cruel person. He might even be evil."

"Is he evil for letting us live with him, away from the wars of the world? Is he evil for having Senna use her magic to create a barrier so that no one can spot us from far away, and a barrier to keep creatures out of the buildings? Would an evil man do that?"

"I don't know. When can I see him? Senna said that he's really busy, but there's nothing here to do, except what you're trying to teach me right now. Sometimes I hear evil laughter coming from a different part of the Monastery. Sometimes, I even hear it outside when there's a lot of creatures out, but Senna blocks me from looking outside at who the laughter comes from."

"Don't worry so much about who it is. Think about why he's laughing. Is it really evil laughter? Have you heard what evil laughter sounds like before you came to this place?"

"I never heard anyone laugh like him before."

"Do you know why Shirosaki accepts people like us?"

"Because we're tough?"

"Because we need him. He likes to feel needed. He protects us. He accepts us when the whole world is against us, because the whole world is against him as well. Look at this."

Zang pulled out a faded little drawing of a girl and a boy. The boy had black hair, and was younger than the girl, who had red hair. They were drawn so well, that it looked like someone had taken a photograph, but cameras had not been made in this world yet.

"My children: Emilio is the boy, and Wolfina is the girl." Zang said as he showed Ichigo who the kids were. "They were a bit younger than you when they were taken from me."

"Bad men came to your house too?" Ichigo asked. "Where were you when it happened?"

"My wife killed them." Zang replied gravely, while Ichigo was stunned speechless.

Ichigo had thought that mothers were like his: loving, faithful, and honest. He had not known anyone whose mother would kill them.

"Why?" Ichigo could only say.

"Because she hated me." Zang answered. "My wife used pillows to suffocate my children, and then she hung herself with a rope while she let our house burn down. Before I came here, I was no fighter. I had no way of controlling my anger. I began hurting other people. I robbed people. I did things that held no honor. I stole from Shirosaki's Monastery, but he saved me for some reason and trained me to be the best that I could ever be."

"I don't understand." Ichigo replied. "He's supposed to be a really bad guy, but he's doing a lot of nice things. Why did you save me?"

"Lord Shirosaki foresaw it in a vision. He knew where you would be and sent me there to save you before those three men could kill you. He and Senna have similar powers although Senna can do more magic than he can."

"Senna said that she wants to teach me things too, just like you."

"We will begin the training from now. What do you want in life?"

"I want to be stronger. I want to fight people like The Grand Fisher, Shrieker, or Loophole, and I want to win! I want to be like you! I want to save little boys and girls, and stop their mothers from dying."

(Loophole=Luppi)

Ichigo spoke with conviction.

"Where we're going…There's no coming back." Zang said. "You're either with us all the way, or not at all."

"I'm here now!" Ichigo said, right fist clenched and close to his face. "I will be the best that I could be!"

Thus it started: Ichigo's training. He was taught how to fight, how to strategize, how to speak, and how to use emotion as a source of power. He was taught to go into a meditative state which had the same effects as if he slept for eight hours straight. All he would need for this technique was one hour. His training would go on for years. There would be countless brutal days, and sleepless nights. Senna was there for him emotionally, and in time, he learned how to be there for her too. Zang taught Ichigo how to fight. When he was twelve-years-old, he was given a gigantic sword that was once used by Shirosaki himself. It was a katana shaped sword with a red hilt, gold guard. It had a tassel on the end. The blade was very broad, and it was very sharp on the edge. Ichigo killed ogres and those creatures that were in the mountains. He fought Senna on one occasion, but he chose not to fight her anymore because he really did not want to hurt her. He learned how to become invisible. In just a few years, he surpassed many of the other soldiers in strength, or it could have been that Ichigo was growing stronger as they aged and became weaker.

He and Senna became very close friends. They were almost like family, and looked out for each other. Several times, Shirosaki had called upon Senna for a mission, and sometimes, Senna had been critically wounded. Ichigo spent night after night, day after day with her until she fully healed. The Monastery was renowned for his medicine that was derived from the drugs that would otherwise make people high, and so both Senna and Ichigo benefited from living there and being hurt countless times. Sometimes, people died, and there were funerals. The bodies were cremated with honor. If someone betrayed Shirosaki and was killed, their body was dumped somewhere in the mountains, and left for the creatures to eat.

Ichigo never saw any sign of Shirosaki. All he knew were Zang, Senna, the creatures that surrounded the Monastery, and the soldiers that constantly trained in it…

_**GoldDragon08: **_Okay, of intensive purposes, Ichigo and Senna almost have a romantic relationship. Make no mistake, in this story, Ichigo ends up with Orihime. Senna is meant to die, which I am planning to happen soon. I like the Joker from the animated Batman shows and movies, or the Dark Knight movie, so that is how I would like you all to view Shirosaki. He's just as insane. He is meant to be evil, but he does take care of the people of his Monastery. In this world, he does have some honor, and does have a hint of a good side within him. He is human, in this story after all…I hope you all enjoyed it. Please Review!!


	4. Chapter 4

**Knight of Karakura Town: Chapter Four**

"No!" Rangiku Matsumoto cried out as she was held down.

She thrashed around wildly, without any hope of succeeding. The men around her laughed as she cried out. She tried desperately to stop what was about to happen, but to no avail. Two men held down her legs as her clothes were completely torn off. Two other men held her legs open on either side. Tears streamed down her face. A fifth man came (That's what she said) and held dark blue powder. He grabbed Rangiku by her face, and held the powder to her nose. She cried out again, spilling the powder all over her. Several of the men sniffed the powder that had fallen on her body. One man enjoyed her touch so much that he squeezed her left breast so hard that it bruised. The man who had the powder forced Rangiku to snort it. She would not breathe it in, so the man slapped her hard. She whimpered as the powder was put to her face once again. The men made her sit up so that she could sniff it better. She clenched her eyes shut. The effects of the drug were immediate. It seemed to be an aphrodisiac, as well as a pain killer. Her eyes glazed over, and she went limp (That's what she said…went limp LOL). The fifth man looked to his comrades, who giggled in anticipation. The man pulled down his trousers, and started fingering Rangiku's womanhood. In her mind, Rangiku saw Gin Ichimaru as the one who was preparing to make love to her. She opened her eyes, and even saw the man that she had once loved. The man kneaded her breasts, causing her to moan.

"Stop!" Rangiku pleaded, trying to get a grip of herself as fresh tears fell down her face. "Please, don't do this!"

"That's not what you're body is telling me." The man with the powder said as he set the container with the powder down, and started fingering her some more.

She sobbed as he became hard. He made sure the other men held her tight, and climbed on top of her. He guided himself into her, and thrust himself hard against her. She whipped her head back, screaming before one of the men slapped her in the face again. The man started thrusting as hard as he could. His iron grip on her shoulders bruised her soft skin. He kept humping her until her walls tightened as she came (NO NO NO!! lol Steve Carell Okay that's enough, I'll stop it). However, being trained by Zang and Shirosaki, the man had more self-control than normal human beings. He continued thrusting into her, making her orgasm three more times, each time sooner than the last. Although she was having orgasms, Rangiku was not enjoying it. She felt ashamed of herself. She thought she was the worst person in the world. The man who was having brutal sex with her was about to finish when a huge fist grabbed his neck, pulling him off Rangiku. The other four men stood at attention, as the man was thrown against the wall, and was knocked unconscious.

"Fuckers, fuckers, fuckers." Shirosaki said his hands on his hips. "That's not how you fuck s bitch!"

The men gave Shirosaki a wide berth as he approached Rangiku, who tried to get up. Shirosaki pushed her back down.

"This is how you fuck, A BITCH!! HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, Ha!!"

Rangiku's screams rang out throughout the wing of the Monastery, coupled with Shirosaki's cruel laughter as he raped her, sodomized her, and broke several of her bones. Ichigo was close, and heard the shrill screams…

**

* * *

**

Rangiku awoke in the medical wing of the Monastery. A boy with orange hair and chocolate colored eyes sat in a chair, just watching her. He pitied her, and that hurt Rangiku the most. She had been proud and brave. She was very close at becoming a seated member of Essess' army. Now, she was reduced to men's fuck toy. She tried to sit up, and the boy widened his eyes as he got up from his seat. He raised his hands as if to tell her to stop.

"You're going to hurt yourself!" Ichigo said. "They really hurt you bad. You need to let yourself heal!"

"Why are you here?" Rangiku asked a little harshly.

"N-nothing," Ichigo said. "No reason…"

Rangiku had long blond hair…similar to Masaki, Ichigo's mother.

"I was taught how to take pain." Ichigo said. "I don't think they will let me, but no one knows I'm here. I will teach you so that when they hurt you, it doesn't feel as bad."

Rangiku's expression softened.

"That's not what I meant." Rangiku said, looking away towards the window. "Why is a kid like you in a hell-hole like this?"

"I'm here so that I can become a warrior." Ichigo said.

"War is coming to the land." Rangiku said. "Essess will be fighting against another country, maybe Hueco Mundo. So who do you want to fight for? What do you fight for, being in this forsaken place, ruled by an evil person?"

Ichigo shifted his weight, thinking about what Rangiku said.

"No one." Ichigo said finally. "I only want to protect those who cannot fight for themselves. It doesn't matter if they are from Essess or Hueco Mundo. I will protect them all."

Rangiku looked at the boy as if he was something else.

Meanwhile, Senna watched on from the door. It was opened a crack, so Ichigo would not see her. She smiled at Ichigo's noble statement.

"He will be great." Zang said from behind her, startling her. "He has the making of a strong knight, worthy of Essess, Hueco Mundo, and Shirosaki. I just hope he lives long enough to see the war through."

"He will." Senna replied when her heart stopped beating so fast. "I can't see his destiny, but I know he will be the best man to go to if you need any help. He is very honorable."

"Be warned." Zang said as he placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Shirosaki won't take your relationship with the boy lightly. If he finds out you're this close to him, he may stop you from seeing him. He might even try to kill you or Ichigo just to hurt you."

"But he needs us both." Senna replied. "He won't dare harm us."

"I pray that you are right, little Miko." Zang said as he led her away from the room. "For now, give Ichigo space. He has to learn how to stand on his own two feet. He does need people, but he must know how to live by himself if everyone he knows dies."

"Like us?" Senna asked.

"Like us." Zang nodded.

**

* * *

**

Senna should have known. Part of his training was to be spent in the wilderness. Zang had him learn how to ride a horse. Ichigo had the honor of naming the horse. It was a pitch black steed. However, it would not do as Ichigo commanded. Several times, he was thrown from the saddle onto the snow, or path where they had been travelling. And then, if there was a female horse nearby, the horse would try to woo the other horse. He would mount the other horse, and hump its thighs, not even penetrating its vagina. Ichigo would spend a great amount of time trying to get the horse to do what he wanted. It took several months for this to happen. Because of Ichigo's dislike of the horse, he named it Kon, which he believed to be a stupid name, for a stupid horse like Kon.

The next lessons would be quite harsh. For a whole month, Ichigo was sent wearing nothing but a loin cloth into the wilderness in a forest. He was instructed to make his own fires, and eat certain plants. Other people from the Monastery trained him with this, while Zang watched over the training. Ichigo had to spend the month alone, with no contact from anyone. If he was captured, he was not supposed to divulge any information about the location of Shirosaki's hideout. Otherwise, he would be named an enemy of Shirosaki. That being said, Ichigo hid from anyone that approached him, even if it was another child. He got into fights with bullies who were also being trained by Shirosaki's men. He killed three other boys, and escaped death himself. He buried those bodies the best he could with sticks and stones as tools.

Hunger was a huge factor. He had to overcome it. He watched animals, and ate what they ate. If a squirrel ate a nut, or hid one, Ichigo would find nuts for himself. He would never steal another being's food. Sometimes, he became sick from eating the wrong thing. By his will alone, he survived this ordeal. Part of the training was to look inside himself and look at what had happened in his life. He had hallucinated with the lack of sleep, and thought he saw his mother. He even saw Senna. He began climbing trees when carnivores tracked him down. If they could climb trees, Ichigo had no other option but to fight them. He used sticks as spears or swords, and he even made a club with a piece of wood and a rock. He killed mountain lions and bears. He ran with wolves. He ate with beavers. Then, the time was up.

He came back to the Monastery a changed person. He had become a man of the forest. Senna did not know what she could do. Should she speak to him? She did not know. However, as soon as they were alone, Ichigo embraced her with such affection, that it moved Senna to tears. He had experienced things that she could not even fathom. He had done things that meant the destruction of other human beings. He had lost his innocence, but not his humanity. He had been honorable in everything he did. He was a strong little boy.

And this was only the beginning of his intense training. Zang offered him more than he could handle, but he persevered. He fought with other soldiers, was beaten by them, and beat them himself. He never killed again until he had to face the creatures that roamed outside the Monastery. He witnessed Senna using her magic staff to vaporize the creatures. He used her katana at times to kill these creatures until he was given his own sword.

**

* * *

**

The relationship between Hueco Mundo and Essess was very strained. Aizen was blamed for the kidnap of Rangiku, but he denied it truthfully. Kouga Kuchiki had been preserved in the coffin, which was magic. Essess planned to use him against the armies of Hueco Mundo when the time came. Suddenly, it became known that the generals who had once fought against each other had come back together, as one family, it seemed. They lived outside of Essess, blaming the country and its authorities for making them fight. They blamed Aizen for tricking them. They hid in secret places so that no one could find them. In case these generals became aligned with Aizen and his armies, Essess trained a special squad of warriors to fight the ex-generals. They were known as the Bount, led by one of the scientists of Essess: Ran Tao.

Jin Kariya was their leader. They had all been given special weapons to use, and were trained to master different types of combat. Kariya used a sword which had a guard that extended from his hand to his elbow. One of the Bount was trained and learned various forms of martial arts. One had an ax. One used a sword attached to a chain with a fan on it. One used grenades made from fireworks' factories. Another was a master at communicating with snakes, and had a pet which was one of the most venomous snakes ever found in the world. The ex-generals would have a hard time joining Aizen when the Bount Squad was after them.

Toshiro Hitsugaya and Sojiro Kusaka were being considered for replacing Seigen Suzunami as General of Tent Division. Kusaka had been chosen as General of Tenth Division, and Hitsugaya was to remain Lieutenant. He accepted his spot with honor. Yamamoto and other Generals, including the newly inducted Byakuya Kuchiki had decided that Kusaka, who was older than Hitsugaya, would be a better leader than the younger prodigy. Hitsugaya was happy for his comrade, for they had gone through the academy together. In fact, both of them had found Hitsugaya's sword, and as a show of respect, Hitsugaya gave him the sword with the crescent chained to it, as a show of respect. Kusaka took the sword, and promised Hitsugaya that he would use it to the best of his ability, for the honor of Essess.

Meanwhile, Aizen had his army and many of the citizens assembled, and prepared his speech. Orihime stood with Kaname and Ichimaru.

"My dear citizens of Hueco Mundo." Aizen said smoothly. "It seems that the richest nobility of Essess wants more land for their servants. They seek to take Hueco Mundo for themselves. By my sword, I will not let them take the land. I will command our army to war against an enemy that truly is formidable. We must be brave a swift if we are to survive this. For your honor, I ask you for your able bodies to drive our military and the creatures they command so that we can be victorious! We will win, with your help, you will not only keep your lands, but we will obtain more! For victory, we must not only fight Essess, but we must win! We have to show them that we are capable of being their equals, if not their superiors! Who is with me?"

The crowd roared as Ichimaru grinned knowingly. Orihime was proud of her foster-father, but had no idea what he was planning. He wanted to become king of Hueco Mundo and Essess. He was after the king of Essess' throne. Ichimaru and Kaname were the only ones who knew this. The others were oblivious.

Neliel turned to her fellow generals. Nnoitra looked away, not wanting to give her the respect she deserved. Grimmjow did not look happy. Baragan was less so. The others seemed to be uncaring. All they wanted was their warriors to listen to them, and they all awaited the war to come.

"Hey guys." Neliel said, "Aizen is from Essess, is he not?"

"Yeah, so what?" Grimmjow said. "He thinks that we're all going to fight for him and be his servants. Well, when this war is over, I can guarantee that it won't happen."

"You are deathly right." Baragan said. "I want my throne back! I'm going to kill that ass myself!"

"Be careful, Baragan." Their newest, strongest general said. "Not all of us think like you. Some of us actually want Aizen to get what he wants, for better or for worse."

"It matters not for me." Ulquiorra said. "I wish to serve the princess. She is the most purest being I have ever known. If not for Aizen, fight for her."

"I don't care what the fuck happens." Yammy said. "I just want to crush some skulls!"

"Oh, Yammy." Ulquiorra said. "You must not think like that."

"How would you have me think?" Yammy said to his superior.

**Author's Note: **The ranks are the same as in the manga/anime, except Nel is number four, while Harribel is number three. There are eleven generals here. Essess has thirteen, so I think it would be fair if Ichimaru and Kaname commanded their own divisions also. There are also the Privaron who command one army for the three of them.

So it begun:

The cities, towns, and farms that were closest to Hueco Mundo in the land of Essess were attacked by Aizen's army. Nnoitra and Grimmjow were the generals who watched over their armies as they attacked each town or farm. They extended Hueco Mundo's borders.

Essess did not take this lightly. They summoned Zeraki Kenpachi, General of Eleventh Division, and Kaien Shiba, General of Thirteenth Division, to lead their armies to battle. Zeraki's division was to fight Nnoitra's, while Shiba attacked Grimmjow's so that they could reclaim their land that was lost. The battles were intense and lasted months. Many died on both sides. In the end, Essess reclaimed a portion of their land, but not nearly as much as what was taken. After being attacked, Aizen sent his secret army, which was led by former generals, three of the best warriors under the Generals, known as the Privaron were sent to do battle and aid their fellow generals. Dordonii Alessandro Del Socacchio, Cirucci Sanderwicci, and Gantenbainne Mosqueda commanded smaller armies. Ikkaku Madarame and Yachiru Kusajishi of Eleven Division and Sentaro Kotsubaki of Thirteen met the three generals in battle, commanding smaller groups of warriors.

Yachiru was but a child and when Sanderwicci faced her, she let her guard down. As strong as her general, Yachiru laid waste to Sanderwicci. However, Eleventh and Thirteenth Divisions were spread too thin. Grimmjow and Nnoitra pressed their attack, and forced Shiba and Zeraki's armies back. They reclaimed land and killed any straggler that remained. Thirteenth Division was hit the hardest. Shiba had lost close to 60% of his division, while Zeraki only suffered 30%. Eleventh Squad was renowned for its bloodlust. They were sent throughout Essess to kill monsters that lived and threatened the farmlands. They had been very efficient. Aizen, though, and sent Szayel to take control of Hueco Mundo's monsters, and had them sent into battle to make up for the lack of men or women. Essess took their defeat, and were all ordered to retreat. Zeraki ignored the order, and killed Nnoitra. He fought Grimmjow, but Grimmjow used his pet panther to fight Zeraki. Yachiru appeared and started riding the panther as if it was a play toy. The panther tried to get her off, but she played with it and laughed. Grimmjow was not pleased, so he attacked Zeraki, who was quite bored. His men and women were scattered throughout the lands, fighting enemies that would frighten the faint of heart. However, Ikkaku pulled his troops back, and retreated, meeting what was left of Division Thirteen.

All the men and women of the armies, and even the animals wore some sort of armor. Those of Hueco Mundo wore white armor, with black clothes underneath (Star Wars Clones). The Hueco Mundo Generals had their number painted on their armor, or on their person. Grimmjow's number was on his back, while Nnoitra had it on his tongue. Those of Essess wore black armor, while their Generals wore white capes, which were different and suited their individual General. The three Privaron Generals had similar numbers on their armor, and they commanded what forced they had with much vigor, wanting to prove their worth to Aizen. Essess' warriors were overwhelmed by Aizen's army. Zeraki had no choice but to retreat, but before he did, he killed Grimmjow's panther. Grimmjow summoned the best archers, and they fired their arrows at those of Essess that were retreating. Zeraki had his men and women raise their spears, swords, and shields to block them from being hit.

Aizen had Mosqueda and his army remain at the border in case Essess wanted to attack again. Zeraki and Shiba met up, and sent word to Yamamoto at what they had accomplished.

**

* * *

**

Ten years passed from when Ichigo was found by Zang and the defection of Aizen and his crew. The war between Essess and Hueco Mundo reached critical levels as many people were killed with no one else to replace them. The war was fought on many fronts at the same time. General Commander Yamamoto stayed in the Seireitei to give orders to his generals. Generals of both armies rarely fought during these years, but when they did, they succeeded in capturing needed checkpoints, or managed to kill many people. Grimmjow and Ulquiorra seemed to be the very best at what they did, surpassing the other generals. Nnoitra had been replaced by his second in command, Tesla. A new type of soldier was created and trained by Aizen in order to combat Soifon's Covert Ops. This new Division of Aizen's army was dubbed The Exequias, led by Rudobone. A new General was appointed to take over the leadership of the deceased Cirucci Sanderwicci: Wonderweiss Margera. He also controlled a huge Cyclops. In battle, Margera seemed to be easily distracted. He rarely gave orders, so the Cyclops would speak to the army instead, giving orders for them to follow.

Essess found itself in dire straits. It conscripted many people into the army. Many of the nobility's guards were reassigned to the army, and they were ordered to fight the armies of Hueco Mundo. Refugees flooded into Rokungai, looking for a safe haven away from the fighting. Hueco Mundo was becoming more successful with each engagement. There were only a few cities, towns, or farms that remained, untouched by Hueco Mundo or Essess. One town in particular had no ties to either country, and sat at a location that was out of the way for both forces: Karakura Town. This town was ruled by a harsh ruler: Mayuri Kurotsuchi. Rumors surrounding this ruler were that he was a proud scientist. He had experimented on every creature known. He knew weak spots within every animal, and knew their habits. He even experimented on his own daughter; Nemu Kurotsuchi. His wife had perished when Nemu had been born. He was a miserable, old tyrant, and had an army all to himself to control. They were either loyal to him out of fear, or because they secretly wanted to take his place and were plotting to take over. His right hand man was known only as Smith, who was quite an accomplished archer that was good enough to be considered a Quincy. However, Soken Ishida and his family never spoke to Smith because he was known as being as cruel as his master. Mayuri's left hand man was Makoto Kibune, who at one time was loyal to the Amagai family, but was fired due to conflict between him and the head of the Amagai family, Shusuke Amagai, or so it seemed.

Secretly, Amagai had his own desires to obtain power. His family had once lived in Essess, but it was told that Yamamoto had killed Amagai's father: Shin'etsu Kisaragi, so the whole family defected years before Aizen's rule. At that time, Amagai lacked the power to control Hueco Mundo, so he settled for just living in a town just outside the massive palace known as Los Noches. Amagai was plotting with Kibune to take over Kurotsuchi's army. When they were successful, they would fight their way into Los Noches, and kill Aizen, taking his spot as king of Hueco Mundo. Karakura Town would be left defenseless against the hordes of men, women, and animals that threatened it for not being part of either country. This was a town that needed protection. The Ishida family found out about Amagai's plot, so were secretly in training outside the town, near a waterfall. Grandfather, son, and grandson trained for years. At the same time, Soken's son, Ryuken Ishida became Karakura Town's Hospital's administrator. The Hospital itself was a massive building with three stories, which was unheard of in that time and place. Uryu continued training as a Quincy, and also became one of the best and artistic designer of clothing in the town. He was quite famous, and brought fame to his family. Soken seemed to be a retired old man, and did nothing other than train his family. When the time came, when Amagai's plans came to fruition, and Kurotsuchi was casted out of the town, or even killed, the Ishida family would come to power of the town, and protect it from anyone on the outside. They thought they were the only family in the town that knew how to fight…

But they were wrong. One family grew together, on a quiet street, and they worked in a small health clinic that sold medicine and herbs, and provided space for people to heal from sicknesses or injuries. They did not have the resources that the hospital had, but it was a favorite place of many of the residents who did not want it known that they were sick. One such person was Smith. He trusted the doctor of the family with his life, and in return for the doctor's services, he promised to protect the family. Life went on with the uneasy feeling that something bad was going to happen because of the conflict in the land, and the threat that Amagai posed. Many people knew Kibune was a spy for Amagai, but they did not dare cross him. People found themselves maimed, with a missing limb, or even killed if they even uttered something in the streets to someone about Amagai or Kibune.

**

* * *

**

As his one of his final lessons, Ichigo had to fight Zang in the cavern that was below the Monastery. Senna was now 22 years of age. She and Ichigo had been through much during the eight years they had together. They rode horses to markets to get food. They spent countless nights in each others' sleeping quarters, though they did not have sex. If Senna was to have sex, there was a chance that she might lose her powers if they did, so Ichigo could not have sex. He also respected Senna, so he did not force anything on her. They would be sent on various missions to be completed. Sometimes Senna saw something in a vision, and told Shirosaki who in turn told Zang to take Ichigo and complete the task in order to either prevent something from happening, or the help cause it to happen. Ichigo had killed many monsters that threatened villages. He was becoming well known, and Shirosaki found out. That meant that Ichigo could no longer go out, much to his disappointment. Ichigo confided this to Senna, and she agreed that it did suck, but Ichigo had to think of bigger things: His last lesson was about to happen. Zang even told Ichigo that he would meet their Lord Shirosaki himself. Ichigo looked forward to that day.

Senna had made it so that the cavern was brightly lit using her magic. Ichigo thought he would get the best of Zang, but this was not so. They both wore similar attire: Black boots, black pants, and a white tunic. In a brief fight, Zang had slashed at Ichigo a few times, and was blocked each time by Ichigo's sword. However, each time their swords made impact, a crack formed in Ichigo's blade. In one fluid motion, Zang slashed from bottom to top, which Ichigo blocked, but the force made him fly back. Ichigo got back to his feet and launched himself at his trainer. He slashed but all too late noticed that his sword had been cut down. Ichigo sprang back a few steps to look at his options. Zang pressed the attack, and started attacking Ichigo again. Ichigo blocked and dodged time after time. He tried using his sword against Zang, but only succeeded in cutting his sword down a bit more. Zang slashed again, and this time, the guard of the sword was cut. Ichigo only held a handle. He threw it at Zang, and ran away.

"You're just going to ran away?" Zang asked as Ichigo fled. "You're almost finished your training you know. Is this all you are capable of, Ichigo Kurosaki?"

_This sucks donkey cock! _Ichigo thought bitterly as he scaled the side of a cliff. He ran across the top, but Zang flipped in front of Ichigo, forcing Ichigo to run in the opposite direction. _Is this all I'm reduced to? Running around because I have no weapons? I have to find a way. I have to beat him. But how? _Ichigo ran, grabbing huge stones to hurl at Zang, who sliced through them. Finally, he spotted a sword. It was an old, beat up looking piece of metal, but it was all Ichigo had. He grabbed the purple hilt, and turned to face Zang, who stopped two meters away from Ichigo. Ichigo knew that it was all or nothing. If he lost this battle, all of his training might have been for nothing. They looked at each other for a few moments. Simultaneously, they raised their swords and charged. Ichigo's smaller sword swung faster than Zang's much heavier sword. Ichigo was able to cut Zang's hand, but Zang bared it, swinging Zangetsu. Ichigo blocked, but the force and heaviness of the sword pushed the sword away, and Zang's sword cut into his shoulder. Ichigo dropped so the sword would not hurt him anymore. He stabbed upward, but Zang blocked the attack. Ichigo tried tripping the older man, but was stopped as Zang stabbed his sword down, nearly cutting off Ichigo's foot. Ichigo sprang up, and aimed for Zang's head. He thrust the sword quickly. Zang stumbled back sporting a gash on his forehead. He had dodged a bit too late, but thankfully he was not hurt too badly.

"You're using an inferior sword against this one." Zang said. "In time, you will lose."

"A sword is as good as its wielder," Ichigo remembered Zang saying. "Isn't that what you said only just the other day?"

"Only yesterday." Zang said. "Today is yesterday."

"Quite." Ichigo replied before charging once more.

Ichigo's speed and agility made it nearly impossible for him to be struck by Zang's sword. However, Ichigo's predictability made it possible for Zang to bring his sword to the next targeted spot that Ichigo was aiming for. Ichigo fell back, and kicked a rock at Zang, who blocked it with his sword's broad side. Ichigo continued kicking swords in this way. Zang slashed the ground, and ran with it, bringing the blade up to Ichigo. Ichigo blocked, but the tremendous force Zang used sent Ichigo sailing across the air, and he fell off the cliff.

"Ichigo!" Senna cried out from the sidelines.

Ichigo fell to the ground, hitting his head somewhat hard.

**Flashback:**

_There were many hiding spots in the Monastery. Ichigo tried to find a young girl, who giggled in excitement, waiting him to find her. Ichigo called for her name:_

"_Senna!" he called. "Where are you?"_

"_Use your training, dummy." Senna called out from just behind the corner. "Look for me as if you want to-"_

_Senna was interrupted as Ichigo grabbed her around her waist, giving her a bear hug. Senna struggled to get out of his grip. She started tickling him, which made him let go of her. Ichigo stopped hugging her, but she would not stop tickling him. He tried running away from her. Senna lifted the skirt of the dress she was wearing and ran after him. Ichigo dodged servants who were carrying things. He passed three soldiers where the one in the middle was being helped by the other two because he was wounded from being in a battle of some sort. Senna called out for Ichigo as she was trapped by the soldiers. Ichigo waited for her, walking back to find her again. Senna sprang from behind a curtain, grabbing Ichigo in a bear hug this time._

**End of Flashback**

Ichigo snapped open his eyes as Zang aimed for him with his sword. The older man had leapt off the cliff, and was aiming to kill. Ichigo flipped up backwards onto his feet as Zang's sword stabbed where he just lay. Ichigo slashed the fabric off the handle, which Zang was going to use to pull his sword out of the ground. Using more force than he should have used, Zang pulled the piece of fabric while he was in the air, and fell a meter away. Ichigo looked to the sword in his hand. The hilt was all that remained once again. Zang had swung and destroyed the last sword Ichigo had. Ichigo saw no other choice. He grabbed the hilt of Zang's sword and lifted it from the place it was in. Ichigo pointed it at Zang's neck.

"We're finished here." Ichigo said, while noticing that the sword felt right in his hand.

He had trained with a heavy sword, so he was a lot stronger and faster than other people in the Monastery. He felt that Zang's sword was the one he should have been using. He felt that he outgrew his old sword especially since Zang had utterly destroyed it.

**Author's note: **Ichigo's first sword was the same as his first one in the Anime or manga. It's the first one that he had when he faced the first Hollow that threatened his family. Zang's sword is the black cleaver. Gamma's sword is Shirosaki/Ogihci/Hollow-Ichigo's sword in Shikai form.

"After today, you will use that sword to do Shirosaki's bidding." Zang said, getting up to his feet. "You may even be ready to have an audience with our lord and master."

"Do you really think I can meet him?" Ichigo asked impatiently. "I've never seen him before, so what does he look like?"

"He has a large tattoo on his chest," Zang said of Shirosaki, "Which he shows to people even though we are living in a cold place. He wears baggy pants, and almost always has a white mask on his face. There are two horns attached to the mask. His eyes are the brightest color of yellow or gold. His gaze pierces right through you. He is really strong, and has killed hundreds if not thousands of people and animals. He has raped women, and has humiliated the best soldiers."

"Does he do anything like that to you…?" Ichigo asked. "Does he hurt Senna?"

"He's very intimidating." Zang replied. "He can hurt us if he chooses. But he favors Senna and I for some reason. Senna is favored for her powers. Me, because I do whatever he wants, and more importantly, I do not fear him like everybody else does in this Monastery."

"There have been whispers about a war that's happening between the two countries closest to us." Ichigo admitted. "Whose side will we fight for?"

"None." Zang replied. "Shirosaki wants nothing to do with either country."

Suddenly, one of Shirosaki's messengers called Nova (The red haired Bount Sensor Mod-Soul who wears a mask and speaks little) ran through the doors. He ran until he was close to Ichigo and Zang. He bowed humbly, and started speaking:

"Master Zang!" Nova said, and then looked to Senna. "Mistress Senna! You are both required in the throne room at once! Bring your weapons! There are Dark Ones who are planning on betraying Master Shirosaki!"

"Ichigo, I need the sword!" Zang said frantically as Nova went to speak to Senna, and then led her to the throne room. "You can have it after, I promise."

"Don't worry about it." Ichigo said giving Zang his sword, but stopped Zang from leaving. "Can I ask you a favor?"

"What is it?" Zang asked.

"I want to go with you to see Shirosaki for myself." Ichigo said. "If he is being betrayed by one of us, I want to be there to help him if I need to."

"How very noble of you." Zang said. "You must use a disguise."

Zang and Ichigo left the training grounds. Ichigo's old sword lay in the dust, forgotten.

_**GoldDragon08: **_Things are getting good! Please Review! Mmk15, if you are still reading this story, I hope you read this: Thank you for reviewing, and if you would like, you can make an actual account on this site, for free. All you have to do is sign up! With your account, you can favorite stories, review, or even put alerts on stories so you will be sent an email which will say if a story was updated (Has new chapters added to it). If you don't want to do that, its fine, just search stories using the search tool on this site, or look through pages of stories manually. Take care everyone, and please keep reading this story!


	5. Chapter 5

**Knight of Karakura Town: Chapter Five**

Crowded Streets all cleared away, One by One.

Hollow Heroes Separate, As they Run.

You're so Cold Keep your Hand in Mine.

Wise Men Wonder While, Strong Men Die.

~Breaking Benjamin = So Cold

"Waaahhh!!" Ashisogi Jizo cried as Mayuri Kurotsuchi probed one of its wings with two metal instruments. "GGGHHAAA!!"

Blades erupted from its chest, aiming to strike Mayuri. He simply grabbed a Bible, and smacked his pet on its head, making it retract the blades.

"Stupid Jizo!" Mayuri spat. "Be a good little specimen and let me upgrade your wing!"

The Jizo whimpered as Mayuri continued implanting different animals' organs into the wings. Mayuri did not see the need to use pain killers for his pet, since he viewed it as an inferior being. Mayuri had painted his own skin white and black. He wore a strange crown, which had two prongs facing the right and was painted white to symbolize purity. He wore blue, red, and orange clothing that were fit for a king. He also wore gold chains to represent his status of being the richest man in Karakura Town. Nemu stood beside the door, awaiting orders. She was one of Mayuri's early daughters and served as his assistant and bodyguard. She had been trained by ex-Essess military to become as strong as a Lieutenant of Essess. She wore a simple black kimono except she had a mini-skirt instead of the pants usually worn in that world. (Basically, Nemu looks exactly the same as she appears in the anime/manga, except no badge to show what squad she's a part of.) Mayuri had used a variation of the mind controlling techniques used by Aizen and took away Nemu's free will as a result. His pet had a stronger mind, and would disobey him countless times. That is why Mayuri bought a Bible. He used it to punish his pet, because the Bible was the biggest book being sold at the time.

**Author's Note: **From the Current Zanpakuto Rebellion Arc, the Jizo is the manifested version of Mayuri's sword, not the Bankai version. I'm thinking of not having Mayuri's Bankai in this story, but that may change in the future…

"Hello, Miss Kurotsuchi." Smith said to Nemu, appearing as if he had not walked into the room. "How have things been?"

"The experiment seems to be going well." Nemu replied coldly. "Our master seems to have found out what organs have been needed to improve flight. He is implanting the organs into his pet Jizo right now."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Smith asked.

"You have nothing to fear, Smith." Mayuri replied. "I have no desire of experimenting on a human being. I already have done the necessary experiments on myself, and my ex-partner, Akon."

"Oh, good." Smith said, polishing one of his arrow heads. "I guess I might even get a bonus this year."

"Sorry, my hearing must be failing." Mayuri replied. "Get back to your post, or go shoot something. This town is filled with useless people. Any one of them could do for a target. Those cursed Ishidas and their Quincy pride; please practice your archery on them."

"Come now, Mr. Kurotsuchi!" Smith said, pouting a little bit. "We don't want to get rid of such famous people who attract people to this town! They offer the people a sense of protection, in addition to the army of yours that the people pay their taxes for."

"The stupid war between Essess and Hueco Mundo is quite bothersome!" Mayuri sneered. "They have destroyed some of the markets the people use to sell what they create! The only thing they can do now is go to Rokungai and sell their products. Some of them have resorted to trading, which does nothing! We need gold, I tell you! If I get another goat calf, I will decapitate the whole family that the person who gives it to me belongs to! Gold is what I need! Gold, gold, gold, I say!"

"Speaking of gold-" Smith was interrupted as the Jizo started screeching, flailing around in pain as Mayuri smacked it repeatedly on the head with the Bible.

"Get back to your post," Mayuri said, turning around to look at his right hand man. "Or else, I will sick this angry Jizo on you!"

"Of course, of course!" Smith said, retreating out the door, his needs being unheard.

"Good Jizo." Mayuri said, stroking the animal's head, giving it a treat that tasted sweet to it.

It was wary at first, but accepted the treat as a reward for the torture it was suffering. The treat knocked it out instantly as Mayuri used other tools to open up the creature so that he could implant organs successfully, at least to his standards. Unknown to Mayuri, he was being watched by Makoto Kibune, who wrote down every action done by the town's ruler. It was tedious work, watching Mayuri, who was too busy to even acknowledge the children he had sired. They were being taught by their mothers and the town's educators. One child loathed him, for the woman he experimented on was her mother. She fought town bullies, learned how to be tough at an early age, and even investigated Smith to see if he did anything wrong. Smith had killed one of the most honorable men of Karakura Town for Mayuri, because Mayuri thought the man was becoming too powerful, but he did not act against the Ishida family, yet. The girl told the local Essess respondent, Zennosuke Kurumadani and his soldiers, and there was an investigation that followed. Mayuri paid off officials, and threatened anyone else, so the town's people stayed quiet. The child would not give up. The child's name:

Tatsuki Arisawa. She and Uryu Ishida became quite close because Tatsuki's clothes would rip constantly. Being poor, she could not afford the repairs needed to fix her clothes, so Uryu decided to do it for her if she worked for his father and be a guard for the hospital. She agreed. Uryu continued to train with his father and grandfather until the day his grandfather was killed. Mayuri, finding that the town's resources were going thin had a census of all the citizens of Karakura Town. Those who were not working, contributing to the town were killed. Soken had not defended himself, and died, painfully by the hands of Kibune and Smith. Ryuken and his son had witnessed this atrocity, and vowed that when the time was right, the Quincy would once again become a strong race of people. Soken was buried in a grave outside the town's walls, because the town had no room for a cemetery.

**

* * *

**

Hisana sighed as she gazed out the window of the Kuchiki manor, where she viewed the pond that was filled with large Koi fish. The sun gleamed with an orange glow, sending colors of purples on the clouds which contrasted with the blue of the sky, and the yellow rays of the star. It was magnificent. She thought about her sister, who had become part of the army, but through Byakuya's influence, she remained a low ranking officer so that she would not engage in difficult missions. Hisana continued looking out the window, and remembered the last time she had spent with her husband:

**Flashback**

_Candles glowed softly, making shadows on the wall that danced as the flames flickered. Byakuya was not a drinker, but Hisana loved the taste of Sake, and may have had too much. The couple stumbled into the mansion. Hisana giggled while Byakuya tried to silence her so that they would not wake any of the other sleeping family members. He had brought her to his chambers. He had paid off one of the staff members to get the room ready for them. Candles were placed everywhere, giving the room a soft orange glow, and also filled it with a fruity fragrance that delighted the senses. The floor was littered with rose buds. The sheets of the bed was covered in perfume, and the smell was not too strong, but not too weak either. Byakuya and Hisana tumbled onto the floor, missing the bed entirely. Hisana laughed out loud at the way Byakuya blushed because his head had landed directly in her chest. He raised himself onto his arms, but Hisana pulled his shirt collar so that they would be brought closer to each other. Byakuya had been training to become the next head of the Kuchiki clan, and was known as one of the most powerful instrument in Essess military history. He could kill someone and not even break a sweat. This aroused Hisana even more. They kissed passionately. Their tongues did battle for a while, and they moved their heads to and fro, lips bruising each other as they roamed each other's body with their hands. Hisana was the first to break the kiss. They had brought themselves up to a sitting position._

Hisana touched her lips as she remembered the wet kiss she and her husband shared.

_Byakuya took off his coat that he was wearing, and dropped it to the ground. He also took off his tunic and the under shirt he was wearing. His chest was bare for Hisana to behold. She giggled a bit at how muscular and sexy he looked. She kissed him on the lips again, and then trailed kisses down his neck, while he undid the sash that was in front of her kimono. Now undone, the shirt opened up to reveal the undergarment that Hisana wore. Byakuya moaned as Hisana continued making him suffer with pleasure as she kissed his chest, running her hands over his tight muscles. She also felt his scars that he obtained from training and passing military school. He was no prodigy, but he had stuck to the path to obtain his strength. Hisana was certain that if Hueco Mundo and Essess would go to war, Byakuya would be the one to command the armies of Essess to victory. She did not know what on Earth she did to deserve him, but he loved her. He told her this as she was thinking it, and that made her blush. Hisana stumbled drunkenly, trying to maintain the atmosphere, but ended up thinking that she had made a fool of herself. Byakuya did not care at all. He picked her up in his arms, and carried her bridal style, setting her down on the soft bed that they shared. Byakuya narrowed his eyes as he set to work at undoing Hisana's sashes that held up her pants. He succeeded in pulling it off, so now Hisana was only in her underwear. Byakuya took her left leg, and started kissing it as he pulled off her sock. His hands pressed onto her foot, making certain areas of her body feel pleasure, and Hisana had no idea when or where Byakuya had picked up such a talent._

_He kissed her toes, and started rubbing her leg with both hands. He left a trail of kisses in his wake as he went further up the leg, going up the thigh. Hisana shivered with anticipation. However, Byakuya started doing the same thing to her other leg. Hisana got up when Byakuya took off her other sock and she undid Byakuya's sash. She pulled at the top of the pants, and looked into Byakuya's eyes as he urged her on. She pulled down his pants, underwear and all, leaving him fully nude (he pulled off his own socks). His manhood stood at attention, something that Hisana marveled at. She wasn't sure what she could do with such a weapon. Byakuya came (not yet not yet) closer to Hisana until their chests were touching. He kissed her sweet lips, causing her to moan. He kissed her chin, and continued down her jaw line until he grasped her right earlobe in his mouth. He began sucking on it a little bit, making Hisana moan. She could feel the burning rod on her left thigh, and could feel herself becoming wet as Byakuya continued touching her. He ran his hands under her shirt, touching her stomach. He let go of her ear, and started kissing her stomach, down to her panty line (Yes, they wear panties, briefs, and boxers in this world, in case you all were wondering. I have no idea what people wore hundreds of years ago.) Byakuya grasped Hisana by the hips, and placed his thumbs underneath the sides of her panty. Slowly, sensuously, Byakuya took off Hisana's panty, raising her legs up into the air. He pushed her legs so that Hisana now lay on her left side. Byakuya lay behind her, and spooned with her for a while. He massaged her neck, and her shoulders, making her hot. He also ran his hand down her side, on top of her butt cheek, but did not squeeze it, and down her leg._

_Hisana pulled off her under shirt and took Byakuya's right hand, placing it on her right breast. Byakuya slowly grasped the orb of flesh as he came (NOT YET) closer to Hisana's ear, and blew into it, causing her to shudder with excitement. All too soon, Byakuya relinquished his hold on Hisana's breast, and started sliding his hand down, down, down, raking through her pubic hair which was kept at a short length for such an occasion such as this. Byakuya reached Hisana's core. She opened her legs a little to let Byakuya's hand through. He gently, carefully caressed the folds of skin that was at the entrance of her womanhood. Hisana slid her right hand down onto Byakuya's and led it to the right spot. Byakuya caressed her special place, eliciting a gasp and a moan from Hisana as she started moving her hips back and forth. She did not register this in her mind as her body started acting as if it had a mind of its own. Hisana still held her hand on Byakuya's. Together, they entered her wet, aching core. Hisana moaned louder than before as Byakuya started pleasuring her a bit harder and faster with his hand, although it was still kind of slow by anyone else's standards. Hisana did not finger herself anymore, and let Byakuya have his way as he continued. He kissed her shoulder, and tucked his left arm around her waist, placing his hand on her stomach. He continued to pleasure Hisana until he felt that it was the right time. Byakuya moved from beside her, and spread her legs. She let him do this, and waited for what was to come._

_Byakuya pulled himself up so that his face was inches above Hisana's. She could feel his manhood lying on her pelvis, just a few inches away from its goal. She breathed in deeply as Byakuya cleared the distance as Hisana grabbed his manhood and-_

Hisana was brought out of her sexual reverie by the sudden opening of the door to the mansion as a messenger stepped towards her. He knelt on the floor showing respect as Hisana went ten shades of red, but was lucky since the messenger did not dare look at her. (That means END OF FLASHBACK LOL HAHAHAHAHAHA)

"Miss Kuchiki, there is word from the front." The messenger said. "General Commander Yamamoto has received word from one of the Dark Ones who are ruled by Shirosaki. The Dark One has reported the location of Rangiku Matsumoto who was kidnapped eight years ago. Your Husband, General Kuchiki and Thirteenth Division's General Shiba have received orders to attack the Monastery! Our spies indicate that it is surrounded by creatures of unknown origin. Using special chemicals developed by General Urahara's Twelfth Division, the Department of Research and Development, the spies were successful in making the creatures go somewhere else so that the two armies can advance on Shirosaki's hideout."

"So both my husband and my sister will be fighting Shirosaki and his servants?" Hisana said while her eyes were wide at the realization that her loved once faced a dangerous task in saving Rangiku. "What other news do you have for me?"

"That is all, mistress." The messenger said, and Hisana sent him away.

When the messenger left, Hisana went to take a bath so that she could relax and try to forget the sexual thoughts she should not have been thinking of. She constantly worried about her husband and sister. Byakuya had seen many successes as General of Sixth Division. He was not as spontaneous in his attacks as Kenpachi Zeraki. He was quite calculating in his development of a plan to attack. He broke his army down, and assigned the men and women different tasks. Servants were also hired because horses were bought to help fight a war. Byakuya had made sure that the horses were trained enough so that they could travel long distances before they needed to take a break. They were also strong enough to pull three people in chariots. Byakuya made sure that there was one horse for each chariot, and three people riding in the each chariot: The driver, the archer, and the spear-man. This tactic of training these people and animals this way proved to be a great idea when the army faced all sorts of animals and monsters used by Aizen's armies. The archers were quite skilled, but were nothing compared to the Quincy that once fought against Essess. Byakuya rode a white horse by himself, and was armed with a spear or lance, katana, and shield. His armor was the best in the whole army because he had enough money to have it made.

Meanwhile, Hisana's younger sister Rukia had been independent at an early age, and would roam Rokungai with a group of friends. Her friends died because they could not handle the poor life. Rukia vowed that she would become strong enough to prevent other people she cared about from dying, so she joined the military when she was still quite young. And then, Byakuya Kuchiki took Hisana to be his wife, and took Rukia into his home so that both sisters would see each other and be well off. Rukia would spend the next few years training, learning a few magic spells of her own while learning how to use a sword that had been used by a female General who had been killed generations before. Rukia learned how to use a pure white sword which had a long white piece of cloth. The sword also had a tint of purple in it. Some people said it was the most beautiful katana in all of Essess. However, Rukia did not want to stand out in the army, and only used the white sword as a last resort. She used a newer katana with a red hilt and gold guard. The sword had a partner, which was used by another soldier in the Essess army: Renji Abarai, who also obtained a huge sword which had spikes on it. He used the smaller katana when he was fighting infantry soldiers, and used the larger sword to kill monsters or other creatures. Renji and Rukia had been classmates, but when the need for soldiers appeared, they joined the ranks of Essess' army. Renji saw many successes as part of Zeraki's Division, and was promoted to Byakuya's Lieutenant when the other Lieutenant died.

Rukia saw many successes herself, and even infiltrated one of Aizen's armies. Rukia had killed several key members of Grimmjow's guard, including D-Roy, one of Grimmjow's personal body-guards. Rukia saved Essess' soldiers who were being held captive by Grimmjow's army. She and the survivors fought their way out of Grimmjow's base. Grimmjow nearly killed Rukia, but Ashido Kano intervened. He had followed Rukia, and saved her, fighting Grimmjow so that Rukia could escape. Ashido used a net to trap Grimmjow, and escaped himself. The net was custom designed so that it would wrap around the person or creature, and had weights that made it difficult to get out of. Being a strong being, however, Grimmjow slashed out of it using his katana. He roared as he looked at Ashido and Rukia's retreating forms.

Rukia would have been promoted, but Byakuya had not allowed it. He had used his influence in order to stop Rukia from obtaining a seat as Lieutenant or other high ranking individuals in the army. She remained a soldier of Kaien Shiba's army. Rukia became very close to her general. Ashido Kano had proved himself worthy, and was named as Shiba's Lieutenant. Thus, Shiba's ranks were all filled but he still had his two third seats.

**Author's Note: **Renji and Rukia cannot use their Shikai abilities, so Zabimaru cannot extend or go into Bankai. Rukia cannot attack with ice.

Hisana wondered what her husband and sister were doing. She hoped they were well as she soaked in the warm water which was heated by a fire underneath her tub. The fire was the right size and emitted enough heat so that Hisana could enjoy the bath without being burnt, or boiled alive. Candles burned fragrant incense, which delighted Hisana's nostrils. She hoped her husband would be home soon to share a moment like this once again…

**

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**

"We found these two travelers wondering through the snow." Akutabi Gamma reported to Shirosaki.

This was the first time Ichigo saw both Gamma and Shirosaki. Ichigo was wearing his custom armor, which had taken at least five years to create, and several months to adjust to Ichigo's size as he grew. The armor was unlike the armor of Essess or Hueco Mundo. First, Ichigo had to put on a black body suit, which had a gel-like layer that would be used to absorb sweat. Then, a second layer that was really thick would be put on. The layer was thick black material combined with strands of thin metal. It was thickest on the chest and stomach. The material on Ichigo's back was as thick as the chest and stomach material. Ichigo also had to wear a special type of armor to protect his groin area. The black material laced with metal also covered his thighs. His shoulders, elbows, and knees were also padded with such material. Then the last layer was the armor itself. It was black plating which had hinges so that Ichigo could move easier. There were two plates over his pectoral muscles, with a hinge protecting the breastbone. There was a gap between the pectoral plates, and the plate that protected his stomach. There were two other plates with gaps in them to protect Ichigo's sides. Two plates protected Ichigo's back: One plate was where the ribs were, while the second plating was on his lower back and went down to protect a portion of Ichigo's butt. Circular shoulder armor protected his shoulders on the front, sides, and back. Large pieces of armor seemed to wrap around Ichigo's bicep/triceps muscles. There was a small plate for each elbow. The arm between the elbow and hand was covered with black armor similar to the armor covering the arm between the shoulder and elbow. A brief-like piece of armor was worn to protect Ichigo's groin and hips and attached to the armor that went on Ichigo's lower back and buttocks. Armor wrapped around each of Ichigo's thighs. There were smaller plates in front of Ichigo's knees. However, there was little armor protecting behind Ichigo's knees for easier movement. There was plating protecting Ichigo's shins, wrapping around the part of the leg. Ichigo wore combat boots which had steel tips. The boots were tight so that he could move better. The armor was all tied together using leather straps, and the hinges that were mentioned before. The gaps in between the armor had leather or animal hide in them to reinforce them. The armor was made such a way that it was easy to move around in. It was tight so that no one could pull on any part. The helmet that Ichigo wore had a rim that covered his eyebrows, and could be used to block out the sun. The back of it was shaped as a dome to protect Ichigo's skull. There was a skirt below the dome to protect the back of Ichigo's neck. Covering Ichigo's jaw and nose was a piece of black plating (Think Optimus Prime) These types of helmets were given to all of Shirosaki's guards that stayed in his throne room, or guarded it outside. On Ichigo's hands were black gloves which could keep him warm, but were thin enough to let Ichigo feel things. Black plating was on the back of Ichigo's hands, and there were bumps, or spikes on the position of his knuckles. Ichigo had on his back, a small sword with a black hilt, which was commonly issued to every guard in Shirosaki's Monastery. Around Ichigo's waist was a belt which had many pockets to hold things. On the back were two cartridges which held close to forty or fifty throwing blades. (Think of a deck of cards, how close the knives are to each other) These cartridges were already open, and Ichigo would just need to reach behind to grab one. He could use his thumb to pull one out of its holster. Ichigo also had a battle knife in a sheath on his left shoulder. He held a spear which was used by other soldiers. All of Ichigo's armor, helmet, and belt were painted pitch black, so no one could see if it was different than the other soldier's armor. Ichigo's armor had cost quite a bit of gold to create. Luckily, Shirosaki had spared no expense when training Ichigo and armoring him.

The other soldiers wore armor that was typical of England, with one huge piece of armor to protect the chest and stomach, with a similar piece of armor to protect the back. They wore chain mail to protect the arms and legs. They wore knee high boots which were longer than Ichigo's combat boots. They wore similar helmets to Ichigo, and had the typical black hilted sword on their backs, as well as carrying the black spear that Ichigo held onto. They also held a black round shield that was just like Ichigo's.

Ichigo's gear was by far the heaviest to bear. Senna used a great deal of magic to make it so that Ichigo's strength would increase so much that to him, the armor felt like normal clothing. The shield and spear would be the heaviest things he had to use. In the meanwhile, Zang wore no armor, and just wore his long black jacket over his white tunic, black pants, and knee high combat boots with his black cleaver on his back (Ichigo's Zangetsu). Senna wore a brown kimono top with a long brown skirt, which had a slit that went up her leg to her waist, revealing her silky flesh. She as well as Shirosaki wore no footwear. Gamma wore black clothing, and a white jacket with tuffs of fur placed around it. His hair went down to his knees. On his back was the huge white cleaver that he used (The white Shikai Zangetsu). Shirosaki looked the same as he always did, wearing black pants, no shirt, white mask, and two horns with it. Senna sat on a cushion in front of his throne, which was on a dais. Zang and Gamma stood at opposite points across the room. Guards including Ichigo lined the throne room to its entrance.

Kneeling on the floor in front of Shirosaki and Senna were two peasant looking people. One had long red hair, with tattoos on his eyebrow, going up his face, while the other had raven hair, with a lock going down the middle of her face. She was visibly pregnant. The man wore a simple brown kimono, which was thick to keep out the cold. The woman was wearing similar clothing, although hers varied somewhat. There was a hood attached to her jacket that she wore. Ichigo looked on as Gamma explained their case:

"These two beggars seemed to scare off the hordes of creatures that once surrounded the Monastery." He explained. "Either by magic or a chemical agent, the creatures are nowhere to be found. Several of our scavengers have also yet to return to the Monastery. They have been gone for days. I believe that these two are responsible for the disappearance of our scavengers. Here are their weapons."

Gamma summoned a servant to provide two identical looking katanas with red hilts, and gold guards. The servant placed them in front of Shirosaki, at the foot of the dais.

"Please, sir." The woman spoke up. "We don't mean you any harm!"

"Silence!" Gamma said, walking towards the woman with the intent to use force on her, but the man with red hair blocked his way.

"We're refugees from Essess!" The man said. "We are headed to Hueco Mundo so that we could live without fear from the authorities. She was not meant to be pregnant. If our commanders find out about this, then they will kill our child!"

"Silence you peasant vermin!" Gamma said angrily. "You will speak when Lord Shirosaki permits it!"

"Gamma, calm down." Shirosaki said bored as he yawned with his left elbow on the hand rest of his throne and his head on his left hand. "I don't care if they speak or not; this is as much excitement we've gotten all year! Let them make fools of themselves. But you peasants should know; as soon as you set foot in this Monastery, you belong to me!"

"What treachery is this?" The man with long red hair said. "You mean to imprison us, or use us as captives?"

"My poor delusional man." Shirosaki said. "Did you think I, the lord of the Monastery would not know? You are from the army! I mean, who uses the term 'commander' in a sentence? What kind of peasant would use that for their masters? Come on man, do I look stupid to you."

"For not wearing a shirt, you look like an idiot indeed." The woman sneered, suddenly revealing her true nature as she stood up as guards started advancing on the two of them. "You're right to think Renji is from the military!"

The woman reached under her shirt, and pulled out the huge round container that was for show. No one had searched her because she was a woman. She broke the wooden container, which was in the shape of a bowl, and produced a sword which was folded up into sections. Renji picked up the sword by the hilt and pulled a cord under the guard, rendering the sword to become a long, broad sword, with spikes going down its edge. The sword was very broad at the top, and smaller at the bottom. The sword seemed to be very stiff. Shirosaki burst out laughing as he watched Renji go into a defensive stance with the sword.

"One man, one weapon?" Shirosaki said. "Oh that's rich! Do you even understand wha-"

The throne room doors were thrown open. Men in green armor walked right through, and defended themselves from guards that attacked them. A long time leader of Shirosaki's Dark Ones, Ganryu had his men had come from a noble house of Essess. Their family was cast out of Seireitei for crimes they committed against the people and its king. So technically, all the men in green armor were related. Ichigo slipped behind a curtain, not wanting to be seen by anyone. Only Zang knew he was in the room, after all. He peered from behind his hiding spot to watch the events unfold. Renji and his accomplice seemed to relax a bit more as Ganryu walked up between them. All of the guards had been taken out by Ganryu's men. Gamma and Zang walked up, unsheathing both massive cleavers. They held their swords up to Ganryu, his men, the woman with black hair, and Renji. Suddenly, Gamma turned on Zang, stabbing his sword into Zang's chest. However, Gamma did not kill Zang. He had moved rapidly out of the sword's way, and even managed to slash Gamma's left arm, which turned out to be armored. At the same time, Senna's eyes had a long away look to them, and she shut her eyes, concentrating on something else. Shirosaki seemed to take notice on what Senna was doing. Zang cried out in surprise as he fell to the ground as two cannon balls with a chain on it fired from across the throne room, wrapping his upper body in black chain, while his cleaver poked from under it.

The woman with the black hair reached to her chest, and pulled out another sword, her best weapon. She held it in her hand. Ichigo raised his right hand with a throwing knife in it, and caught Zang's eye. Zang raised his left palm signaling Ichigo to stop. No one really cared what Zang did, because they were focusing on Shirosaki, who now stood as Gamma pointed his sword to him.

"My, my." Shirosaki said. "This does look interesting. Ganryu, have you forgotten that it was I that took you and your family in? Why would you disgrace me in such a way?"

"You made a very bad decision in sending Gamma to Essess for you." Ganryu spat. "You forgot that he works for the highest bidder! My family and I have walked away from Essess with a hidden fortune, and half of it goes to Gamma! You only have few loyal men! Over the years I have succeeded in turning every last member of this Monastery against you! Even those who you think are close to you! You were a fool to lay a finger on one of Essess' loyal subjects! They have not given up on her, and two armies are approaching us as we speak! They are going to burn your house to the ground, and you along with it."

"Well aren't you the nasty little tattle-tale." Shirosaki said with malice dripping from his words. "Ratting me out before I could have my fun!"

Renji tied his hair back into a pony tail and then grabbed his weapon, and cleared his voice.

"I am Renji Abarai," he said. "Lieutenant to Division Six of Essess' army."

"And you, I presume," Shirosaki said mockingly to the woman with raven hair who had a white sword. "Are Byakuya Kuchiki's sister-in-law. Do you think I would not have known about any of you? Do you think of me as being that dense?"

Shirosaki got up from his throne, and unsheathed two identical swords. One was pure white, and he held it in his left hand, and one was pitch black, and he held it in his right hand. They both had short chains dangling from the bottom of the hilts.

"Tensa Zangetsu." Shirosaki said, lifting both swords to make an X, but then stabbed the ground with the black sword.

He moved quickly, grabbing Senna by the hair, running her through from the back with his sword. Senna's body convulsed as her magic failed her and her life began seeping out of her wounds with crimson blood. Their life together ran through Ichigo and Senna's minds as the remembered the worst arguments, and the tender of moments they shared. They had needed each other, and now, it was no more. Ichigo cried out her name, and threw his spear to Shirosaki, who batted it away with his sword. Ganryu's men gave Ichigo a wide berth as he ran towards Senna's body, ripping off his helmet and mouth guard so that he could speak to Senna better. The barrier she had agreed to put up for the armies of Essess failed. The white and red creatures started running into the valley where the armies lay in wait for Rukia and Renji's signal. Rukia ignited two small flames, lighting two grenades and throwing into the rafters. The grenades exploded loudly, sending pieces of plaster and wood to the ground. Shirosaki took up his black sword and pointed it to the force that stood before him.

"Hey Zang." Ganryu said. "Do you want to know who was ordered to kill your family?"

Zang's eyes widened.

"It was me." Gamma said, pointing his sword to the already fallen Zang.

However, Zang's anger knew no bounds. Surprise was evident on his face as he somehow sprang to his feet, and shrugged off the chains and the cannon balls. He ran forward clashing swords with Gamma. Gamma's eyes turned a different color as he turned into his killing form. He laughed as he continued out pacing Zang, who was the older man. Shirosaki pounced on Ganryu, killing several of his men in mere seconds. Rukia and Renji continued throwing up grenades to put holes in the Monastery. It was sheer chaos. Ichigo took Senna's hand into his.

"Why?" Ichigo asked. "Surely you saw how you would die! You have that power! I know you do! Why did you not try to protect yourself? I'll get you help Senna, I'll find a way."

"No." Senna said softly as blood started pouring into her lung, making her cough up crimson liquid. "Take my body to my family. Tell them, I served well."

"Senna!" Ichigo cried out as she closed her eyes, but tightened her grip on his hand.

Suddenly, Ichigo's mind was filled with thoughts. She gave him the location of her family, and the way to get there. And then, things faded to black again. Ichigo took off his glove, and held his fingers to her throat. Her body seized up and convulsed once again, and then went still. Ichigo bent his head close to Senna's face, and planted a kiss on her lips, as a final show of his devotion and love for the still young Miko. Everything around Ichigo was non-existent. To him, his family had been taken from him. And now, one of his most precious persons in his life had met an untimely end. Suddenly, he heard Zang cry out in pain. Gamma had hit Zang with enough force that it shattered his blade into two pieces. Gamma's sword slashed deeper into Zang's chest. Cannons opened up, firing from outside the Monastery. Catapults also started throwing fiery masses of material that broke through the roof, and set the Monastery ablaze. The building shook as the balls collided with the structure. Ichigo could see the men and women in black armor from one of the holes. They were fighting the monsters that threatened to overwhelm them. They flung arrows into the windows, and set fire to the wing closest to the throne room. Ichigo realized that the Monastery had been emptied. Everyone loyal to Ganryu had fought the others that were loyal to Shirosaki, and had escaped. Ichigo could see two Essess soldiers who had already infiltrated the Monastery, guiding an intoxicated Rangiku Matsumoto from the hell she had been living for the past ten years.

Gamma stood over Zang, and raised his sword.

"You are the only one left defending this man." Gamma said. "Your son, Emilio would have gotten the Zombie Powder before Shirosaki. It was he that ordered me to kill your family, not Ganryu. So if you have any qualms with the person who murdered your family, take it to him when you're a ghost. As for now, it is time for you to die."

Gamma sliced through the air. Metal met metal as Gamma's sword struck Ichigo's battle knife. The huge cleaver cut through Ichigo's knife as if it was bark (Like, from a tree). Ichigo pushed Gamma away, and picked up the hilt of Zang's sword.

"You fool." Gamma said. "You have no idea how to use that weapon. And it is broken. You cannot hope to defeat me."

Suddenly, Senna's body began to glow with a blue hue. The magic travelled across the ground, into the second piece of Zang's sword. Unable to control the sword, Ichigo watched on with wide eyes as the sword went down. Try as he might, he could not move it. The piece of Zang's sword flew across the ground, and reformed with its other half. Ichigo looked at the sword with awe. He had never seen a sword heal before, and it was magnificent. The sword continued to glow with Senna's power as it transferred to Ichigo's armor, keeping the spell that Senna had cast on it so that it remained. That was her parting gift to the boy she loved. Zang clutched his chest as wood and splinters rained down on him. Ichigo's anger seethed to its boiling point.

"Do you know why I let them train me?" Ichigo said to Gamma.

"What do I care, child?" Gamma said. "I beat your mentor! How can you, a student with no killing experience ever match up to me, someone who kills for thrills and money?"

"I wanted Shirosaki and his crew to train me so that I could become better than anyone else!" Ichigo spat. "I want the power to stop people like you from ruining families! I want to protect all of my loved ones!"

"It's no secret that you loved our dearly departed Miko." Gamma sneered. "You failed to protect her, so how good was your training then?"

Zang watched as Ichigo silently struck Gamma. He did not scream, and he did not fume. He battled as if it were training. The sword looked to be liquid in his hand as he slashed Gamma up and down his body. Gamma had a hard time going into his killing mode, because he had been wounded greatly. Gamma fell back towards the men with green armor.

"Forget them!" Zang said, carrying Senna's body. "Let's get out of here before this Monastery is overrun!"

Ichigo grabbed a few round canisters from his belt, and threw them onto the ground. Black dust filled the air. Gamma shielded his eyes, and covered his mouth as the room was filled with the dust. Rukia and Renji made their escape before Shirosaki could have his way with them. He had killed every last relative of Ganryu, and ran Ganryu through the stomach with his white sword in the end. Ganryu spat in Shirosaki's face, which was shielded with the white mask. Ganryu's body fell from the sword as soldiers with alcoholic cocktails lit the bottles on fire with a cloth, throwing the bottles into the Monastery. Fire erupted all around him. Cannon balls continued pounding the Monastery. When each ball landed, several would open up, spilling black powder. As fire met the powder, the balls would detonate, making a huge explosion rupture wherever the ball was fired.

**

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"Generals!" Thirteen Division Lieutenant Ashido Kano reported. "Those loyal to Shirosaki have been accounted for. Rukia Kuchiki and Lieutenant Renji Abarai were both successful in aiding Ganryu and his family in their mission to stop Shirosaki, however the warriors including Ganryu himself were all killed. Officer Kuchiki and Lieutenant Abarai barely made it out. Our other soldiers were successful in rescuing the kidnapped Rangiku Matsumoto, although her sword is missing. There is some bad news: Two men fought our soldiers, killing them or knocking them unconscious. The two men were carrying the body of the Miko who was in charge of making sure our army would not meet with the savage creatures found in these mountains. They mounted two horses, and had supplies with them. They escaped through a narrow pass, behind the Monastery that we had not accounted for. Should we give chase?"

"Forget those two." General of the Sixth Division Byakuya Kuchiki ordered. "Concentrate on the defense of the cannons and catapults. Make sure those creatures do not intervene in our assassination of Shirosaki."

"Lieutenant Abarai has reported that Shirosaki is a seer." Ashido said. "He might know what our armies are planning."

"Just burn his house to the ground." General of the Thirteenth Division, Kaien Shiba ordered. "If the flames, cannon balls, and fiery waste do not kill him, we will search the wreckage until his body is found. Have there been any reported deaths from the throne room since Ganryu and his men's deaths?"

"We cannot tell until we send parties into the Monastery to investigate, General Shiba." Ashido said.

"Alright, what do you think we should do?" General Shiba asked General Kuchiki. "We were ordered not to leave any man behind, so should we send search parties for Ganryu's family members including his wives, sons and daughters, and the families of his men?"

"So far, most of those people have been accounted for." General Kuchiki said. "Once our primary objectives are complete, we will withdraw, with our wounded, and send a team to the Monastery at a later date, when the creatures are not so many. You're dismissed, soldier."

The Lieutenant, Ashido Kano saluted to his superiors, and ran back to the front where the battles against the creatures raged and they continued their campaign against those loyal to Shirosaki. No one even saw Shirosaki, but you can bet, he escaped undetected.

_**GoldDragon08: **_Ichigo's armor is like a mixture between Master Chief's and Batman's only in design. His helmet sucks: It's like Darth Vader's…I'm gonna come up with something else.


	6. Chapter 6

**Knight of Karakura Town: Chapter Six**

_**GoldDragon08: **_Classes have started, so I might not be able to update for a while. There's so much reading to do, and projects, I have to sacrifice this story…I am sorry. Here is the last chapter I might have time to write for a while:

Zang gritted his teeth as the doctor, known simply as Elwood, patched him up. The stitches closed up his wounds as best they could. Ichigo waited outside the clinic. They had travelled for the day, and long into the night until they came upon a small rural town that was untouched by the war. Actually, Shirosaki had established this town and the farms surrounding it so that he could buy food from the farmers. They made an abundant amount of food, so they had more than enough to last for the winter, and pay for things from other places. Ichigo and Zang had taken from Shirosaki's Monastery, a great amount of items. They stole four bags of gold, which Zang would use to pay for his surgery, and Ichigo paid for the embalmment of Senna's body. They had to wait until the proper embalmer for the town opened their shop. They also paid rent for stalls and upkeep for the horses to a man who was just closing up his stall.

"Alright, we're done!" Doctor Elwood said. "I've done as much as I could, so the rest is up to you now! You must not move so much for a few weeks, and you have to remember to clean the wounds every few days to stop infections from setting in."

"So how much do I owe you?" Zang asked the doctor as he slipped on his white tunic. "It's kind of hard to breathe, and I have a lot of travelling to do."

"I think it would be best if you took it easy for a few days." Dr. Elwood said. "Stay here and rest up, I'll even put you and your friend up for the night, free of charge! For the surgery, though, you don't really owe that much. How about five pieces of gold to make it even?"

"Sounds fair." Zang said, reaching into his coat pocket to retrieve one of the bags of gold.

Carefully, Zang counted out the gold, and gave Elwood seven pieces of gold for the surgery and the rent for two rooms. Zang left Dr. Elwood as another patient came in; it was not unheard of people getting sick in the middle of the night. Zang carried his jacket and the bag of gold. Zang came to the entrance to the clinic, and looked to his left, where Ichigo sat on a bench, eyes closed, head bowed. He had taken off his armor, and kept it with Senna's body. He was wearing a white tunic and black pants, as well as his combat boots. Zang placed his hand on Ichigo's shoulder.

"The good doctor has provided room and board for us both." He said with sympathy for Ichigo's loss.

"I sinned against Senna." Ichigo replied, opening his eyes. "Ever since I hit puberty, I fantasized about having sex with her. When I was twelve, I watched her take a bath. She was so beautiful, it was as if she emitted the very magic she used. Her hair and her body gleamed with the water, and I so badly wanted to feel her up. I wanted to do evil things to her. You told me to take three hours break to sleep every night except Sundays, which we had all day to do whatever we wanted. For those three hours, I slept in the same bed as Senna. We never had sex, and I was so nervous sometimes that I couldn't sleep at all, until the very last hour."

"So that's why you were always a few minutes late." Zang smiled trying to lighten the mood. "And you were punished dearly for it every time, and yet you still came late each day for two years. And then, you smartened up, and showed more self-control. Your strength was unparalleled with anyone else's. You are by far the best student I have had the privilege to teach."

"Senna and I spent countless Sundays together." Ichigo continued, ignoring what Zang said. "When I was ordered to take the full eight hours of sleep, sometimes I would use the technique to meditate for one hour, and spend the whole night sleeping beside Senna. Her aura calmed me when Shirosaki laughed while he killed something, or when the creatures moaned and roared all around the Monastery. I told her I was not afraid of anything, so she said that she was the one who was afraid. But we both knew the truth: I was a coward, and she was the brave one. She was the one I pictured spending the rest of my life with and I never got the chance to tell here. My family was taken from me, and now, even my beloved is gone."

Ichigo clenched his eyes shut as tears came to his eyes. He brought his right hand to his face, holding it as if was wounded. Zang reached out his hand, and placed it on Ichigo's head.

"Give me three days." Zang said determinedly. "I will be ready to travel with you in three days to get to Senna's family. I promise I will not let you down as our ex-lord Shirosaki did."

"That bastard!" Ichigo said quietly so no one else but Zang would hear. "The years of service you did for him; the service Senna did in his name to protect his Monastery and its people; and the training he made you place on me was all for nothing! He didn't protect any of us! He used us all for his own gain."

"Let it go Ichigo." Zang told the boy wisely. "Trust me when I say this, revenge is not the path I want you to travel. You are far nobler than that."

"And what about you, Zang?" Ichigo said fiercely, "You attacked Gamma because he killed your family. How can you say I cannot have revenge when you wanted to take it yourself?"

"I have killed many people, Ichigo." Zang replied. "You are different. You haven't killed anyone before in your whole life. You are more _human_ than I. You will become a great and noble knight, fighting for justice."

"But I did kill someone when I was younger!" Ichigo replied, "And what would you have me do in a life-and-death situation? Should I just forget my training to kill people, and focus on saving their lives, especially when they will be the worst type of people?"

"Ichigo." Zang said. "Only you alone can make the choice to kill or not. If you become consumed by it, then that is all you will be known for. But if you are compassionate towards even your enemies, then you will be rewarded for it. Your enemies will be unable to harm you because they have their own sense of honor. Even Shirosaki has some honor. You can make the choice; the right choice. The first weapon a swordsman uses is a sword. The second is a pen to write. Communication goes a long way when fighting an enemy you don't think you can defeat. Remember this Ichigo, always."

"Thank you." Ichigo told his mentor, "My master, Zang."

Silence followed Ichigo and Zang's conversation as they both contemplated what their futures had in store for them. Despite their seemingly lack of magical powers, they could both sense destiny calling for them both.

**

* * *

**

Aizen and Orihime watched on as the Opera continued. The singers reached high notes Orihime could only dream of. She had helped in designing their dresses and costumes, but had no idea these professional actors could tell a story in such a way. The story was breathtaking, taking the problems the normal people had, and telling them to the audience on stage. It was magnificent. The music was also superb. Aizen had only hired the best musicians as they played on their various instruments. There were four instruments in the middle, which carried the main melody. Bass players carried the low tones, while woodwinds carried a partnering melody to go with the four instruments that were in the middle. The percussion kept the beat. The conductor commanded the orchestra with a wave of his baton. The whole show was spectacular, and as it ended, Orihime got to her feet, with tears in her eyes, giving the whole production a standing ovation. Aizen followed her lead, and soon, the whole audience were all on their feet, clapping for the actors and musicians that took part in the four hour long production. The actors all bowed as the audience continued to roar with clapping. Finally, the writer for the whole opera came out, dressed in a long black robe, wearing a white mask with feathers from s huge bird on the forehead. Neither Orihime nor Aizen could tell if the person was a man or woman. The writer raised their hands, and the audience replied in kind, and then the writer bowed, signaling for the stage workers to close the curtains.

"That was just awesome!" Orihime said, hugging her foster-parent around the neck. "Thanks for taking me here to see it, father."

"Anything for you, my little princess." Aizen said, smiling triumphantly at getting Orihime's adoration.

She had earned it for her small part in the production.

Together they left front row seats, and made their way to the wagon that would take them to the main towers located in the massive palace. The colors within the towers were bright and sunny. Having a taste for the finer things, Aizen made sure that paintings and sculptures were placed in every corner, placed on every wall. There were windows and mirrors everywhere to carry sunlight throughout the huge complex. There were even several old weapons that were restored, showing the old wars that Hueco Mundo once waged with the countries around it. Paintings of kings before Aizen were placed all over the hallway leading towards the long throne room. Aizen and Orihime took their time walking up the flights of stairs. Orihime told Aizen of things she had done outside the tower walls. She had helped the army recruit people from small rural towns. She helped wounded soldiers get over loss of other soldier, and get over post-traumatic stress. She told imaginative stories to children, who could have listened to her spew story after story, hour after hour if her servants did not stop her. She was one of Aizen's best assets. Should anything happen to her, then the army might lose morale, and fall to pieces when they face the brilliant tactics of the Essess armies.

Orihime retired to her bedroom, which was two flights up above the throne room. Her room was lit with five lanterns that glowed throughout the room. She changed from the gorgeous gown that she had worn to the opera, and put on her simple white dress (Arrancar attire from the Anime/Manga). She wrote a few pages in her diary, and then thought about getting something to eat. The cook had an interesting time filling his princess, for she had the strangest taste in food. Even Aizen had to admit he had never known anyone who liked bizarre food. Then there was a knock at the door. Orihime quickly brushed her hair, and replaced the two hairpins that her brother had once given her before he died. He had forced her to wear it, and she hated it. It was the last gift Sora gave her, so she wore it in his honor. She had grown her hair in remembrance of the family members she had back in Essess who were known as the strongest warriors. They also grew their hair as a symbol for their strength, so Orihime wanted everyone to know that she too, was strong. She skipped to the door. One of Orihime's handmaidens, Loly was at the door.

"Princess," Loly said. "King Aizen summons you for a mission."

"A mission!" Orihime's heart swelled, since Aizen rarely gave her anything to do because he feared what might happen to her. "Has he said anything about it?"

Loly averted her gaze. She hated working for Aizen, and she hated the Princess more. They were exactly the same age, and everyone in the whole kingdom treated Orihime as if she was some kind of goddess. Loly was jealous without reason. She led the princess down the flight of stairs, into the throne room, where Aizen stood, speaking to Generals Ulquiorra and Yammy.

"Ah," Aizen said as Orihime ran up to him, throwing her arms around him, and squealing with delight.

"Loly said you had a mission for me, father?" Orihime let go of Aizen in anticipation for his answer.

"Please sit." Aizen pointed to a chair and table where Ulquiorra and Yammy sat.

Yammy was eating some sort of meat, and munched loudly. This made Orihime's mouth water, and her tummy growl. She had not eaten anything since before the Opera. Ulquiorra sat patiently waiting for Orihime and Aizen so they could begin the meeting.

"It has been a long ten years." Aizen began when Orihime and he were seated. "The war has cost Hueco Mundo many resources. It has cost lives, but it has created hundreds of jobs to fill. Our people have never been better, but the war is taxing, on us all. Tell her, General Schiffer."

Ulquiorra started telling Orihime about everything that happened in his campaign against Essess. Ulquiorra had used his own collection of huge bats to fight the chariots used by Byakuya Kuchiki. These beasts would swoop down, and steal horses. However, sometimes they died as the spearman and archer on the chariot attacked them to save their noble steed. Ulquiorra even engaged General Kuchiki, but had retreated as Kuchiki's Lieutenant, Renji Abarai came to his General's aid using a white pet baboon with a snake for a tail, and a red face. He also used his huge sword with spikes on it to attack Ulquiorra, who was a master lance wielder, and could defend himself while fighting both Lieutenant and General. He had to retreat because more Essess warriors surrounded him, and the chance for victory became slim. However, in a campaign against the newest general to Essess' army, Nanao Ise (The former General of Eighth Division, Shunsui Kyoraku had been thrown in prison ten years ago for trying to let Kouga Kuchiki escape execution. Yoruichi had not been seen since, and had escaped Essess' grasp.) Ulquiorra had success in defeating her army, and captured both her and her Lieutenant, Maki Ichinose, who transferred and was promoted out of Zeraki's Division because he disagreed with the General's way of fighting and used magic, when there was an unspoken rule in Zeraki's Eleventh Division prohibiting the use of magic. It was seen as a coward's skill.

Aizen had trapped Ichinose in a cell which nullified his magic. General Ise was in a different cell in the woman's prison located outside the walls of Los Noches. Because a general had been captured, General Commander Yamamoto sent word to Yammy, who had been the closest General of Hueco Mundo at the time, since he was attacking a walled city just outside Rokungai.

Yammy continued telling Orihime all of this: Yamamoto sought to trade something for the General and Lieutenant. Yammy stopped his campaign against Division Ten's General Kusaka, and retreated, promising that one day, he would kill the General. He told Aizen himself that Essess and their officials were open to negotiation to not only get back their soldiers, but to also end this war itself. Aizen and Yamamoto came to agree on meeting in a neutral town that was not a part of either country, and stood alone: Karakura Town. That is where Orihime came in.

However, Aizen's spies have indicated that Essess has placed several camps of warriors surrounding the city. In order to be prepared for anything that might happen, Aizen had to prepare his warriors for upcoming battles that would probably happen. His spies had to go out and find strategic places where Aizen could put some of the soldiers and the creatures they command. This would mean Aizen and his advisors would have to sift through many pages of paper work, and come to a decision for that. Also, if Orihime was meant to be the negotiator for Aizen's behalf, she would need protection in case Essess planned to capture her.

Aizen said that the meeting between Essess officials, and Orihime would take place in five months. Orihime had to gather information from the generals about conflicts they had fought in, and other things that might come up during the negotiations. This too, would take a great deal of work, so when Aizen dismissed the meeting, she set to work, meeting first with Ulquiorra and then Yammy. In the months to come, she would visit each general that were in the field, and speak to them one-on-one.

Aizen and General Commander Yamamoto agreed on a stalemate. Neither army would attack each other for how long the negotiations took place. For the next six months maybe, the armies would not do anything. After the negotiations, the war would either continue, or it would all stop. It depended on how well Orihime persuaded Yamamoto's side on Hueco Mundo's conditions. Orihime would take in as much information as she could, and form a decision on what Hueco Mundo's conditions were. She would have to run it by Aizen of course, but he trusted her to make the right choice, as she always had.

No one knew who the negotiator for Essess would be, so Aizen had to believe it was someone who was not at all threatening. Otherwise, Orihime might give in to Essess demands, ruining things, perhaps. Both sides had to agree on something, and that was all there was for Orihime to do…five months of planning and tedious work. It would be a monumental task, but Orihime had the will to do it.

**

* * *

**

Their travels took four days. Ichigo had not put on back his armor, because he saw no sense in wearing it, even though there was a chance that they would be attacked by someone. Ichigo wore a black cloak he had stolen from the Monastery. It had a red lining, and it had one more layer in the middle, which was white. Their belongings were placed in a wagon, behind Senna's body. Senna's body had been drained of all its blood. Its holes had been stapled or sewn shut so nothing escaped it. It had been doused in perfume, and wrapped in a special cloth made especially for this purpose. Zang's white horse Shyro (Play on Shiro, since its white) and Ichigo's black horse Kon, pulled the body in a wagon. The wagon had a special box made to hold things, and not let them slide out. This is where Senna's body laid. Ichigo and Zang walked beside their horses as they travelled. Both Zang and Ichigo scanned the environment, looking for threats. If a group of bandits would show up, Ichigo would fight them all, as Zang protected the body. He would break their bones, knock them out, but not use as much force that would kill them. He was brutal in his attacks, letting out his anger and frustration on how helpless he had been when he watched Senna die. Zang commended him on how he fought.

"So you took my words to heart." Zang said, quite pleased. "You will not kill people. Or rather, you will only kill the right people."

"Yes, Zang." Ichigo said. "In Senna's honor, I will not hurt things that don't deserve it. But I will punish those who make the innocent suffer. I will honor my mother and father as well. They will see me from heaven as someone new, someone worthy of the name Kurosaki."

"Good." Zang said as they continued travelling.

They rode up a hill, and stood on it as they looked down to the farm that belonged to Senna's parents. It was the end of May, and crops were growing already. Cattle mooed, and farted all around the farm. Ichigo could feel something squeeze his chest as he looked to the family's cemetery, which was a way from the farm and held only a few of Senna's relatives. They kept walking. They came to the house, and they could smell the freshly baked dinner that they had made. Ichigo walked up to the door as Zang stayed with the horses. Ichigo used water from a nearby fountain to draw back his hair, to make himself seem presentable. He knocked on the door, and exhaled slowly. They heard yelling from inside the house, and the stomping of feet. Then someone opened the door.

"Hello?" The young girl said, and for Ichigo everything in the world was non-existent, and he saw nothing else but the girl in front of him:

Senna's identical twin.

**

* * *

**

Senna's parents cried bitterly, cursing Shirosaki, as Ichigo pictured the madman laughing in his mind. Senna had two other siblings besides her twin who were much too young to realize the magnitude of the situation. Senna's sister, Kaoru looked at the grave sadly, but she held in her tears. The whole family, Ichigo and Zang stood looking at the now buried body that had been placed in a wooden box, and buried. Marking the grave was a rock that was painted the favorite color Senna used to draw with when she was younger. Zang placed her katana underneath the rock, and Senna's father and Zang used clay to make sure no one could lift the sword from its place. Kaoru turned away from the grave, and walked to the barn. Ichigo watched her go alone. Senna's parents continued crying for their daughter as Ichigo looked at Kaoru's back. Zang caught Ichigo's eye, and nodded, and Ichigo politely excused himself, following Kaoru.

In his mind, Ichigo formed what he was going to say to Senna's sister. He pulled out a red ribbon, which had kept Senna's hair up. He planned on giving it to Kaoru. He made it to the barn, and peeked behind the corner as he heard sobs coming from within the barn. Ichigo cleared his throat as he stepped out of the shadows. Kaoru had been kneeling on the shit covered floor, covering her face with both hands. Ichigo walked towards her, and offered his hands. He smiled at her despite her having tears still falling down her face. Ichigo took Kaoru's hand and helped her up. Affectionately, Ichigo hugged Kaoru tightly, surprising her. Kaoru returned the hug.

"I know you didn't want to let them see you cry." Ichigo told her as they separated. "But they are hurting as much as you. Here, take this. I grew up with Senna as a mentor, and friend. She was very special to me. This was one of Senna's cherished belongings."

Ichigo offered Kaoru Senna's ribbon. She looked at it for a minute, and then placed her fingers on Ichigo's and closed his fist over the ribbon.

"Take it with you." Kaoru said. "It will bring you good fortune."

"Thanks. Senna had magic powers." Ichigo said, slipping the ribbon back into his pocket. "Do you or your family have any powers like that?"

"Yes," Kaoru nodded. "My mother had it when she was our age, and my youngest brother is also a seer."

"Then, if someone found out," Ichigo realized. "Someone would come after your family!"

"No one knows that any of my family has powers." Kaoru said. "The only way Shirosaki knew about Senna was because he saw her in his future, so he found her."

"If Shirosaki wants to rebuild his Monastery, then that means you'll need protection!" Ichigo said. "You have to go to Essess, or a walled city so that the people can protect your family."

"We can't just leave." Kaoru said. "Our lives are here, our place is here! People depend on us for food! If not for this farm, the town nearby cannot maintain as many people as there is now!"

"Fine." Ichigo said in defeat. "Then at least take some of our weapons."

Ichigo and Kaoru walked to where Ichigo and Zang had left the wagon. Much to their horror, they witnessed Kon mounted on and humping Shyro in the calves region. Ichigo rushed forward and tried to pull his horse from Zang's, but to no avail. Kaoru wacked Shyro's leg and the horse started flailing, making Kon get off. Ichigo pulled Kon by the reigns, making it walk a few meters away from Shyro. Kon pulled back, trying to get back to Shyro to continue doing what it had been doing. Finally, Ichigo got Kon to settle down. Ichigo went to the wagon and looked at what they had. They had a leather holster which held three battle knives. They had cartridges of throwing knives. They had two ankle knives. They had two katanas. They had Zang's massive sword. They had two whole spears, and one collapsible one. They had two crossbows and four quivers of arrows. They had one shield. They had a length of rope and a grappling hook, and that was it. However, there was something in a pouch that Ichigo did not remember bringing. He took it and was about to open it when Zang caught them.

"What's this?" Zang asked. "Are you two planning a battle with all of our gear?"

"Senna's brother also has powers." Ichigo informed his master. "If Shirosaki finds out, and if he wants to rebuild his Monastery, he might kidnap him, so I'm giving Kaoru some of our stuff, if that's alright with you."

"Ichigo." Zang said in a serious tone. "I have an even better idea: I will remain with Senna's family to protect them. I will buy a house nearby of course, and watch over their land in case Shirosaki comes here."

"Then I'm staying too." Ichigo said with resolve. "That way, we both can help-"

Zang shook his head, holding up his right hand to interrupt his pupil.

"Your destiny lies elsewhere, Ichigo." Zang said. "I don't need that much from you. Once I take things that I think I might need to protect these people, you must go back to the beginning."

"Beginning?" Ichigo said confused. "Beginning of what?"

"Everything."

**

* * *

**

General Neliel Tu Oderschvank stood with her hands on the balcony edge as she looked over the night landscape. The buildings surrounding the palace were being fixed because of an engagement that had happened. Essess' Covert Ops had tried to assassinate Aizen, but Neliel, Grimmjow, Ichimaru, and Kaname and all of their forces had been there to thwart them. Now, it was quiet, and Neliel took in a breath of fresh air, and sighed. Blue eyes watched her curvaceous form as she looked at the night sky. Silent, and like a cat, the voyeur tiptoed closer, and closer. Since she was away from the fighting, Neliel had been off duty, and decided to have a good night sleep, and was wearing a short night shirt, which barely covered her buttocks. Her watcher came closer and ever closer. The hair on Neliel's neck stood on end, and her senses for battle took over as she back kicked behind her. Her leg sent the person who was watching her sprawling to the floor in a heap as they groaned in pain. Neliel pounced on the person, playfully batting away their arms as they tried to defend themselves.

"You should know better than to stalk me, Grimmjow." Neliel said while she smiled evilly.

Neliel lowered her face to his, and licked his cheek, running her tongue up his face to his eye. Grimmjow started flailing.

"Get the fuck off me!" He roared. "I'm here to teach you a lesson!"

"Oh?" Neliel said playfully, as she took his hands, and put them to her breasts. "And what type of lesson would that be?"

Grimmjow did not respond as he started massaging the orbs of flesh that were underneath her shirt. He growled in frustration as he found it bothersome for her to be wearing something over her chest. He started undoing her shirt, but she slapped both of his hands. Grimmjow slapped her in the face, and sat up, grabbing her around her back, making their bodies crash into each other. He caught her in a vicious kiss and they did battle with their tongues. They parted as a bit of spit trailed from both of their mouths. Neliel took the advantage, and punched Grimmjow in the stomach, pouncing on him once again, only to be thrown to the other side of the room as he kicked her over him. This time, he pounced on her, and held her arms down.

"Fucking bitch!" Grimmjow spat at her.

"You dirty fuck!" Neliel spat back at him.

"Is that what you want to do?" Grimmjow asked her. "Do you want me to fuck you senseless?"

"No you son of a cunt!" Neliel said. "I've been a naughty little girl, maybe I need a spanking?"

Grimmjow got up, and flipped her over. Neliel cried out as Grimmjow punched her lower back. Neliel started to push herself up, grinding her behind into Grimmjow's pelvis, right where his tender spot was. Grimmjow hiked her shirt up, and grabbed both breasts in his hands as the shirt covered her face and hair. Grimmjow was really aroused with the violence and the fact he was kneading her tender flesh. Neliel too was also getting aroused, but not as fast as Grimmjow. He pulled down her panties down to her knees, not letting her move her legs as he continued grinding himself into her behind, while still groping her breasts.

"You selfish little man!" Neliel said while gritting her teeth. "I'm not ready for you to fuck me yet! You're not turning me on!"

"Shut the fuck up." Grimmjow said, giving both breasts a final squeeze before ripping the shirt off her head, pulling her hair with the same movement.

"Ow!" Neliel screamed, pushing her body up so she was now in a sitting position on the floor while Grimmjow was sent sprawling again on the ground. "You're going to pay for that!"

Neliel jumped onto Grimmjow, tearing her panties into pieces in the same motion. She slammed her head into Grimmjow's making his vision blur as pain pulsed in his brain.

"Oh shit!" Grimmjow said dizzily. "You got me good."

In the meanwhile, Neliel tied Grimmjow's hands above his head with her shirt. She also tied the shirt to the leg of a nearby table, making it impossible for him to get out of it. She then pulled down his pants, underwear and all, revealing to his already hard manhood. She grabbed it, and slapped it a few times.

"Son of a bitch!" Grimmjow said. "Stop fucking around!"

"If you say so," Neliel said, getting up and walking away while Grimmjow was trapped on the ground with his pants down.

"Hey, bitch," Grimmjow seethed as the pain ebbed away from his head. "Get back over here and finish the job you started! You can't leave me like this!"

"But you said for me to 'stop fucking around'." Neliel pouted. "That's not fair Grimmjow."

"Come on!" Grimmjow pleaded. "Don't make me beg. Fuck, please can you finish?"

Neliel turned around and slammed her body into Grimmjow's chest. Grimmjow tried looking at what Neliel was doing, but he got a face full of her womanhood and ass. She grasped his manhood and started pumping it as fast as she could.

"Oh fucking come on!" Grimmjow whined. "This sucks balls. Put it in your mouth, or ride me! Don't just jerk me off!"

"You asked for it." Neliel said. "You didn't bother turning me on, and wanted to use me for easy sex. So I am giving you what you wanted, aren't I?"

"No! Shit! You're going to fast!"

Neliel used both hands to massage and pump his manhood as Grimmjow tried kicking her in the face. She punched him in the leg in a nerve that really hurt him. She continued masturbating him until he was ready to pop. She judged that he was ready when he groaned and whipped his head back. Neliel got up, and left Grimmjow unfinished.

"Hey Bitch!" Grimmjow yelled at her retreating form. "That's not funny! You can't just do this to me and walk away! I'll get you! As soon as I get out of this I'll-"

Neliel slammed the door shut, not hearing what Grimmjow had to say. She was naked, and ran through the hallways, hurriedly passing people, who just looked at her as she passed. Finally, she made it to the private meditation room only the Generals had access to. Neliel exhaled slowly as she looked at the closed door.

"Why?" A smooth voice said from behind Neliel. "Why are you naked?"

Neliel turned around, covering her breasts and crotch with her hands. Ulquiorra sat in the meditation room with dim candles lit around it, and had his eyes closed. His face held no emotion.

"I had a little problem that needed to be taken care of." She replied.

"What you do on your free time is none of my concern." Ulquiorra said, not opening his eyes. "But don't take it for granted that we are all going to cover for you if you make a mistake. General Jeagerjaques is your biggest mistake."

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Neliel said in a whisper so that no one would find out. "I do things that I wish! You have no authority over what I can and cannot do, because I outrank you!"

"Sure," Ulquiorra said. "But we all have equal rights when commanding our forces. That makes us equals."

"No it doesn't." Neliel said as Ulquiorra got up and approached her.

He looked at her with a blank expression, and he took off the pitch black cape he had been wearing. He stopped short two feet away from her.

"May I?" he said in a monotone voice.

"Are you sure this is okay?" Neliel said as she closed the distance between them, and Ulquiorra wrapped her in his cape.

"Send it to the cleaners when you are finished with it." Ulquiorra said, turning his back on her. "Leave this room now, and put on some clothes."

"Are you ordering me around, General Schiffer?" Neliel asked bitterly.

"Yes." He replied, turning to look her straight in the eye. "Just take what I have said to you as someone who cares for you, and nothing more."

Neliel's eyes widened as she blushed.

"You care for me?" she asked.

"Think nothing of it." Ulquiorra said. "Go now!"

Neliel bowed to him in thanks, and left the room. Ulquiorra let out a breath as soon as she left. Gin Ichimaru came out of the shadows.

"Well, well!" he said as Ulquiorra turned to him. "I would never have guessed you were one for showing your affection to a teammate."

"Are you going to punish me, Sir Ichimaru?" Ulquiorra asked suspiciously, showing no fear in the least.

"My good man, not at all!" Ichimaru said, laughing a bit. "If I was to punish someone, I would punish the woman you just gave the cape to, and the man she had been with, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques. But I'm not as tough as Kaname, so I don't see a need to punish anyone!"

"How long were you in this room?" Ulquiorra asked Ichimaru. "Were you spying on me, or were you spying on her?"

"Oh look at the time, I better get going!" Ichimaru smiled evilly as he opened the door and ran out as fast as he could.

"He was spying on her." Ulquiorra said, shaking his head.

**

* * *

**

"You made this helmet for me?" Ichigo looked at it in wonder as Zang explained how to use it.

"The black part shields your head." Zang said. "And the white part shields your identity. It is made from the same white metal as Shirosaki's sword."

The helmet was round, and fitted snug on Ichigo's head. Like his armor, it had a gel layer to absorb sweat to regulate his temperature if he got too hot. It could be filled with a furry material to insulate against the cold as well. The white mask had a strange design. Over the left eye socket, were four black stripes. There were more stripes under the jaw. (This is Ichigo's mask that he wore when he first became a Vizard, or if you want, when he fought Byakuya and the Hollow took control). Ichigo put on the helmet. Zang walked around his pupil, noting the bare neck, and then started rummaging through the final pack that Ichigo had not seen before. Zang produced straps of black material, much like Ichigo's under armor. Ichigo had to sit on the wagon for a good half hour. Senna's younger brother and sister came to look at what they were doing. Zang and Ichigo made sure they would not see the weaponry. An accident could happen if they were not careful. Kaoru had left them to help her mother prepare food for them.

The kids pulled on Kon's mane, making the horse whinny and try to shake them off. Zang ran up to the kids, and took out a scarf. He told them to look at the scarf. Zang folded the scarf over itself over and over again. He unfolded it, revealing two shiny stones. The kids looked at them with wonder.

"I want the pink one!" The girl cried.

"Can you see it, lad?" Zang asked the boy. "Can you sense the energy within this stone? Take it!"

The girl had taken the pink stone, and was busy examining it. The boy, however, would not touch it because he was afraid. Gently, Zang reached out, and took the boy's hand. He opened the boy's tiny fist, and placed the stone in it. The stone was cool to the touch, but the boy's fear did not disappear.

"This is a charm for you." Zang said. "Whenever you talk to it, it will summon me no matter where I am. I will hear your voice and come when I am needed. You can count on it!"

The boy took a breath, and held onto the stone.

"Thank you, mister." The boy said as he and his sister hugged Zang for the gifts he had given them.

"Kids! Zang, Ichigo!" Senna's mother called out. "Food is ready!"

**

* * *

**

The black horse stood on its hind legs. And Ichigo flipped the spear he had in his hand over in his hand. Ichigo was now in his full battle armor, with a shield on his back, and spear in his hand. Zang had attached the strips of material onto Ichigo's neck, making it be attached to the armor Ichigo was already wearing. He had placed a black metal piece of plating on the back of Ichigo's neck to finish the piece of armor. Ichigo could move his neck in all sorts of directions, and he would be well protected. There were bags tied to Kon's saddle. Ichigo wore his cloak over his armor. The horse was strong, so it could bear the weight of Ichigo and his things quite easily. Zang came up beside Ichigo.

"I have one last thing to give you." Zang said proudly. "Take this, and use it as you will."

Ichigo's eyes widened as he looked at the article Zang was willing to give up.

"I can't take it, it's yours!" Ichigo said from behind the mask. "You'll need it!"

"It's okay," Zang said. "You're leaving me enough weaponry as it is."

Zang lifted the huge cleaver (Shikai Zangetsu) and Ichigo took it, and tied it to his back.

"Are you sure about this?" Ichigo asked his mentor.

"More than anything, Ichigo." Zang replied. "You will need this where you're going. Use it, and use it well. This is what I trained you for! You will be the protector of the people. You will honor them with this sword."

"Thank you master." Ichigo said as he waved to Senna's family as Kaoru and her siblings waved happily to Ichigo as he kicked Kon's sides and whipped the reigns to make the horse go forward.

He looked back as the horse trotted. Zang, Kaoru, and Senna's family kept getting farther and farther as Kon trotted further away from the farm. Although he was sad that an era in his life was ending, Ichigo had hope for the future. His heart was at peace; there was someone else like Senna in the world, and that person was Kaoru. He knew that if he stayed with Kaoru, his feelings for Senna would be placed on her twin, and that would not be fair to Kaoru. So, leaving the family with Zang as their defender was the best that he could do. Ichigo looked to the bright horizon as the sun started to set. It was time for his life to begin, but first, there was one piece of unfinished business for him to take care of...

_**GoldDragon08: **_Well, that's it folks. I'll write more over the weekend, so maybe there will be another chapter next week. MAYBE!! Don't count on it, but I hope you enjoyed this story thus far…


	7. Chapter 7

**Knight of Karakura Town: Chapter Seven**

_**GoldDragon08:**_ A little bit of information on this story: In the last chapter, I made it sound like Ichigo will become like Batman. Make no mistake; he is by far nothing like the first Batman, Bruce Wayne. He will kill people he thinks needs to be killed. As for Orihime, she was instructed by the best teachers that Hueco Mundo had to offer, so she will be really good with people. This is an alternate universe, so things won't necessarily be the same as in the real Bleach world. I hope that clears some things up. Oh and about school, I dropped one of my courses, so I might have some time to write a bit more, as I have done here. Updates will not be as fast coming as before. Thanks for your continued support with reading this story. Let's get it on:

Kon grazed in a nearby field as Ichigo's belongings remained in a pile with the horse-sattle some meters away from the horse. Ichigo was naked, sitting cross legged on a rock beneath a waterfall. The sound of the falling water soothed him as he looked deep within himself, figuring out his faults. He had been slow to stop Shirosaki from killing Senna, and he had been too weak to stop Grand Fisher and his crew from killing his mother. He had to figure out how he could stop other people that came close to him from dying in the same way. Would he even let people get close to him at all? Ichigo meditated hard on how he would go about doing things. Then, he opened his eyes. The time had come. War had scarred the land, and old chariots, dead carcasses were scattered throughout. Ichigo had seen it all before coming to this forest. His training would be used one way or another, but so far, nothing hindered him. No animal came to bother him, so he was left alone, although he knew that there were animals that were dangerous such as the creatures in the mountains that had surrounded Shirosaki's Monastery. Ichigo got up, and started exercising. He did push-ups, pushing his body up off the ground to clap his hands, and then land on them as he came down again. He used vines to tie his legs together on a tree, and started doing crunches to strengthen his abdomen. Next, he armored himself, and took it off. He did this several times until he was satisfied in the speed he could put the armor on in a pinch. He made a second mask. The white one would not do in cases where he needed to be unseen. He created a black cowl that would cover his whole face. He made targets out of leaves, and started training using knives. He practiced his martial arts while wearing the all of his armor. He practiced with each weapon. He kept sharpening his skills for four weeks until he thought it was okay to stop.

He continued his travels, and thought of what Zang said about going back to the beginning. He went all the way back to the Kurosaki Farm he had been raised in, and where his family might be buried. As he approached he saw the ruins of the house that had been burnt down. However, there was a tiny shelter erected close to the house. Upon hearing Kon's hooves, an old man came out with a crossbow. Ichigo was wearing his armor, but not the helmet/mask part, or the cowl he had made. He hopped off the horse.

"Hello," Ichigo said with his hands up. "I don't mean any harm. I just came here to look at the graves of my family."

"What family is that?" The old man said. "Your horse has been branded with Shirosaki's mark! Take a look at the right side of the beast!"

Ichigo looked at where the old man was pointing. Sure enough, there was a brand on the horse on its right side; just under the place Ichigo put his legs when riding the horse. It was Shirosaki's tattoos and marking for the hole in his heart. Ichigo turned to face the man.

"My name is Ichigo Kurosaki." Ichigo said. "My mother, father, and two sisters died here. I came to see where they were buried."

"Kurosaki?" The old man said confused. "You don't know? The man rescued the little girls, and buried his wife here! They come to this spot where she's buried every year. They even erected a small memorial stone for their lost son! In two days, you will see them."

"They're alive?!" Ichigo exclaimed, as his heart missed a beat.

The old man dropped his guard and showed Ichigo his mother's grave. The old man let Ichigo have some time alone with his mother's grave.

"Hello, mother." Ichigo said, bitterly. "It is I: your son. I am the bastard child that let you die. I hope you don't feel badly about it; you're not the only person that I let die. I love you mom. I'm glad Karin, Yuzu, and the old man is still alive. I don't know what we're going to say to each other, but I hope things go well. I've grown up, mom. I've trained to beat people up. I've had a hard life. I have been trained to be the best warrior ever. I don't know about that; Shirosaki is by far the worst person I have ever had the unfortunate circumstance to meet. I don't deserve your love. If you can hear me, you may put a curse on me for making you sacrifice your life for me. If it weren't for Zang, who was my master, I would be dead right now. Your death was in vain, because one of those assholes kidnapped me from our home. He would have killed me. I love you mom. I'm so sorry."

Ichigo fell to his knees, clutching himself as loneliness plagued his heart. He was certain he would die a slave to someone else. He waited in fear for the two days until it was one of the anniversaries of Masaki's death, when his family members would come to visit Masaki's grave. Come what may, he would bear the burden that was his, and choose to be a slave forever to his father and sisters for what he took away from them that fateful day, ten years ago…

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Mayuri Kurotsuchi's time had come. Makoto Kibune had found out all that he needed about the cruel king of Karakura Town. Shusuke Amagai and men from Hueco Mundo came to the town. Being from a well known family in Hueco Mundo, Amagai paid off most of the men he could that had been loyal to Kurotsuchi. However, he took away the free will of several of the men, and strapped explosive material to them, be it alcohol that would be lit with a match to burn the area to block Amagai's men, or other powders that would kill many men if Kurotsuchi's men came too close. Smith looked at the number of men Amagai had to use. Kibune met Amagai on the outskirts of the town, behind the wall. The Ishida family came to the aid of the public in the town, so the hospital became a fortress unto itself. Basically, it was war against Kurotsuchi's forces and Amagai's forces. Smith looked on as the suicide bombers attacked Amagai's men. However, Amagai himself walked through the fires, unscathed.

"Nemu!" Kurotsuchi ordered his daughter. "Use the Jizo, and sick him on that fool who threatens my lordship!"

"Yes, sir!" Nemu took Mayuri's pet and ordered it to attack Amagai.

The plan backfired because the pet could break Mayuri's hold on it, and choose to do what it pleased. It started heading towards the hospital, in search of food. It smelt the blood that was inside the hospital, and tried getting in. It flew to the front doors. Tatsuki Arisawa and her boyfriend, Sado Yasutora defended the entrance. Sado used a huge hammer, and tried attacking the Jizo. The creature cried out, and retreated, only to come back, letting out the blades from its chest. It targeted Tatsuki, who tried to retreat, but was to no avail as the Jizo started spewing poisonous gas. Sado and Tatsuki fell to the ground, both affected by the poison. Suddenly, a single arrow lanced forward, killing the Jizo before it set foot into the hospital. Uryu Ishida stood with his bow, wearing a white uniform and cape, with steel armor covering his chest and legs, while chain mail covered the rest of his arms, and legs. He, and his side kick Don Kanonji who used a double edged sword went to Tatsuki and Sado's aid, bringing them into the hospital. Nurses and doctors took the two fallen heroes, and made hate to treat the toxins that had invaded their bodies. Next, Uryu summoned his butler, Cloud, to give him his lance. Uryu came out of the hospital, and ordered Kanonji to guard it with his life. Uryu mounted his horse, and rushed into battle to stop Amagai from taking control of the town as well as running Kurotsuchi out of the town.

Meanwhile, Kibune and Smith were locked in mortal combat, Kibune using a strange weapon (Kind of like his released Zanpakuto in the series), while Smith just used a crossbow to shoot at Kibune. The size of Kibune's weapon blocked the arrows that Smith shot, but then Smith tried changing tactics. He started firing two arrows at once. Kibune blocked the first two arrows, but then missed the second time, only blocking one of them. Smith had shot Kibune's leg, right in the shin. The traitor cried out in pain. He was no pinned as Smith continued shooting arrows, reloading his crossbow as fast as he could. He walked closer and closer towards Kibune.

"My, my." Smith said. "The tables do turn. You are a traitor to Kurotsuchi, but since your real master is dealing with him, maybe we could stop fighting for a bit, and then continue after they are finished, when one of them is dead?"

"You pitiful fool!" Kibune yelled. "You dare mock me? I will kill you!"

Kibune pulled out a creature that had been tucked under his sleeve. The creature awoke, and once it spotted Smith who was aiming the crossbow at it, it started firing acid and spikes. Smith rolled onto the ground, and fired one arrow at Kibune, who blocked it, and made his pet continue firing. Hungry after being awoken, the creature looked for a food source. Much to Kibune's surprise, the creature turned on him, and started firing at him. He cried out in pain as acid corroded his skin. He used his huge blade to try and cut the creature off his arm, but it winded its tentacles around his arm, and started eating it. Kibune dropped his huge weapon, and took out his katana in order to kill the creature. Suddenly, three arrows pierced through his chest. Kibune looked up to see Smith, who had fired the arrows. The creature bit into Kibune's flesh. The man coughed up blood from the wounds Smith had inflicted on him. His lungs filled with blood. Kibune threw his katana at Smith, who dodged it quickly. Kibune cried out hopelessly.

"For Amagai!" He yelled, as Smith picked up the katana.

Smith went up to the arm where the creature was attached to. Smith plunged the blade deep into the creature's head. It made a shrill sound as it died. Kibune tried grabbing his huge blade that he was using before, but Smith caught him, and kicked the huge blade away. He knelt down to Kibune.

"You know," Smith said. "You fought well, but your only fault was that you used that creature. Why would you even bother? Did you not know that the creature would turn on you?"

"It was a gift from my master!" Kibune coughed up more blood. "Kill me, or leave me here to rot!"

"Save a seat for me." Smith got to his feet. "I'll be coming to hell in a minute."

Smith stabbed the katana into Kibune's chest, right in his heart. His body shook for a little, and then, went still. Smith closed Kibune's eyes, and looked around him. Those loyal to Kurotsuchi were being fought back by Amagai's soldiers. He noticed that instead of fighting, several warriors were speaking to each other. They were negotiating their prices. Kurotsuchi's forces were being depleted after they were being bought by Amagai's men. Smith hurried to see how his employer was doing fighting Shusuke Amagai. He entered the room, and his eyes widened at what he saw before him: Nemu lay in her own blood, with Amagai's own creature devouring her corpse. Amagai was fighting Kurotsuchi who was using his poisonous trident. If he succeeded in stabbing Amagai, he would lose control of his body-part that had been stabbed. Amagai stood his ground, using his katana to fight Mayuri. Amagai's katana had gold flames for a design along the blade itself. It looked magnificent. Smith caught Mayuri's eye, and pointed his crossbow at Amagai's back. Suddenly, an arrow flew through the window, slicing the bow string, rending the weapon useless. Uryu Ishida walked into the room, pointing his bow and arrow at Smith. Amagai and Mayuri continued fighting, unaware at what just transpired.

"Well, boy." Smith said, irritated that his bow had been damaged. "It looks like you left me defenseless. Are you going to kill someone who is unarmed?"

"Yes." Uryu fired the arrow at Smith, who raised his crossbow to block the arrow. "You don't have a chance in hell against me."

"You really think so?" Smith said, while smiling oddly as Uryu walked closer to him.

Amagai cried out as his right hand was paralyzed, but he grabbed his sword with his left hand, and continued fighting Mayuri, who smiled wickedly.

"You are an idiot!" Mayuri said. "Did you really think I would lose my kingship of this town so easily? I am by far the better warrior, so just give up. I will kill you painlessly if you give up now. But if you don't stop, I will make your death be quite painful."

Their blades struck each other over and over as Mayuri tried stabbing Amagai again. Amagai stabbed his sword to make Mayuri's sword be stuck on the floor. However, Mayuri was strong, so he lifted his weapon, pulling it. However, in the time Mayuri took to get his sword, Amagai had a knife in his hand, and pressed the cold steel to Mayuri's neck.

"It's over." Amagai said. "Your men are either dead, or bought by my men. Your daughter is dead, and the people of this good town have abandoned you. They have sought refuge in the hospital run by the last Quincy, Ryuken Ishida. You time has come. It is time for you to give up your throne here!"

Mayuri laughed bitterly as he impaled Amagai on his trident. Amagai's expression was one of shock. He should have seen it coming, but he had hoped that he had won. Mayuri stood over Amagai as he coughed up blood. His whole body was paralyzed. Mayuri pierced Amagai's right hand, causing the man to cry out. He could still feel pain although his body was paralyzed. Uryu and Smith had stopped fighting after hearing Amagai's bloody cry.

"Looks like things are going to go back to normal." Smith said. "How about it kid? Join us since there's no one else?"

"You want me to join you and Mayuri?" Uryu said disgusted. "This town needs a good leader, someone who will be there for the people. Mayuri is not such a person."

Smith ran up to Uryu, and tried to disarm him. However, Uryu was more agile than the older man, and allowed Smith to grab the bow and arrow. However, Uryu had two thin swords which he unsheathed from his back. Smith tried to use Uryu's bow and arrow, but Uryu was too fast. He went right through Smith's defenses and tripped the man. Uryu stabbed Smith in the right arm and leg. He grabbed Smith's head and punched it hard, rendering him unconscious. Uryu took up his bow and arrow again, and pointed it at Mayuri, who took no heed of what happened to his loyalist right hand man. Mayuri aimed to kills Amagai with his trident, but then, Uryu's arrow stopped him. Uryu's arrow was shot with such force that it collided with Mayuri's chest, sending him stumbling backwards. Mayuri _smiled_.

"How very interesting." Mayuri took the arrow from his chest, revealing the vest of armor he had been wearing underneath his clothing, but there was still blood on the arrow. "Your skills are indeed worthy of being called Quincy! You struck me, and you have made me bleed! You must be thrilled!"

Uryu grabbed another arrow from his quiver and aimed it at Mayuri's head. Mayuri took up his trident, and threw it at the Quincy. It would have struck true, but someone intervened. Smith appeared out of nowhere right in front of Uryu, sacrificing himself as the trident pierced his back.

"You were right about one thing." Smith said as he fell to the ground, and Uryu cradled his head. "This town needs a protector. That person will be you!"

Enraged that his once faithful servant betrayed him, Mayuri unsheathed his katana, and rushed to Uryu, who was not ready to defend himself. Uryu widened his eyes as Mayuri raised his sword while running and got ready to strike. Suddenly there was a rush of air as an arrow shot forward, hitting Mayuri straight in the chest. Mayuri stumbled bewildered. Two arrows were fired consecutively, breaking the first arrow, plunging the arrowhead deep within Mayuri's chest. Out of the shadows came Ryuken Ishida, Uryu's father.

"It's you!" Uryu said to his father.

"Is that any way to address your superior?" Ryuken asked his son while still holding up his bow.

Mayuri threw his katana at Ryuken and Uryu, but he was not quite skilled enough to kill them with it, so it fell harmlessly out of the way. Ryuken unleashed one more arrow. Mayuri's head snapped backwards from the impact. The back of the arrow stuck out from his forehead. Mayuri was dead before he hit the ground.

Later, Amagai was patched up, and the poisons of Mayuri's trident had worn off. The families of the soldiers that were once loyal to Mayuri paid their respects to the fallen warriors. Those who were still loyal to Mayuri were rounded up, and knelt before Uryu, Ryuken, and Amagai. Those who Amagai bought were now taking all of their provisions and families. They joined the rest of Amagai's forces.

"This town is yours." Amagai said to the Ishida's. "I will spread nothing but good news about you two in Hueco Mundo. It's a shame neither of you will come nor join the army I am assembling."

"Why would you need an army in times like these?" Ryuken asked Amagai as he took a puff from a cigarette. "You are rich enough, so what more could you gain?"

"My enemies will be Sosuke Aizen, and the General Commander Yamamoto!" Amagai said with conviction. "Once I get back to Hueco Mundo, I will hire as many other mercenaries as I can, and then we will attack Aizen right where it hurts! I will take the Princess Orihime as one of my whores, and I will take control of this war in order to kill that bastard Yamamoto for killing my father! Vengeance will be sweet!"

"I pray you know what you're doing." Uryu said to Amagai. "You're taking many of the capable men away from us. Our town won't be able to survive an attack should either side decide that the town is in the way."

"What about the Essess Dispatch, Zennosuke Kurumadani?" Amagai asked, knowing full well who the warrior had been after sending spies to see who Amagai would be dealing with.

"He and his crew fled once they heard you were coming for Mayuri." Uryu said, averting his eyes. "They were ordered to pull back because Essess too had spies of their own here. They knew of Mayuri's capabilities and chose to leave us to our own devices. They may come back though."

"Well good luck to you all." Amagai said, mounting his horse.

The sun was setting as Amagai and his group of soldiers and families left Karakura Town. They made the border to Hueco Mundo in the middle of the night…

…All were killed by Aizen, Ichimaru, Kaname, Ulquiorra, Grimmjow, Szayel, Harribel, and Yammy themselves, without the use of their armies. Amagai could not afford what Aizen's spy was paid. Thus the Amagai family fell, leaving Hueco Mundo to travel the lands as nomads for the rest of their lives after being banished from Essess, and living in fear of what Aizen could do…

Aizen now had increased interest in Karakura Town and its inhabitants, and sent three spies there to watch over what happened in the town. Essess indeed did send back Zennosuke to watch over the town once more with a group of warriors. Things became tense in the town, but Uryu started ordering the inhabitants to do special work. They had to fortify the town, making the walls around it better, and the citizens' lives became better as Uryu shared the wealth Mayuri had accumulated. Ryuken left the running of the town to Uryu, because he was seen as their White Knight. Ryuken had to run the hospital, which was a task unto itself. The poorer people were beginning to have faith that their new rulers would do great deeds for them. Secretly, a different type of spy reported back to their master:

"Sir," The young blond girl said, kneeling at a throne made of oak. "Essess and Hueco Mundo forces have converged on the town."

"Really?" The man on the throne said coolly, "The time is drawing near. The negotiations will be happening soon. Let's give that town something to remember! Tell our spies in Essess to awaken Kouga! It's all part of the plan, Rirrin."

The man on the throne laughed manically as the spy was sent out of the room to perform her duty for the man…

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"This hill gets steeper every year!" An eleven year old girl said to her fraternal twin, who was also a girl. "Are we there yet?"

The girl had long brown hair which was braided in the back (Katara from Avatar: TLA anyone anyone??) She wore a white dress with a flower design on it. She wore boots because the trek towards her destination was quite dirty. Her twin sister had shorter black hair, which went to her shoulder. She wore black shorts, and a boy's tunic. She grabbed her sister's hand:

"Come on Yuzu!" The girl with the boy's clothing said. "We're almost there!"

"Come on baby!" A tall man with short dark hair said to his daughter. "Daddy will carry you up the hill to mother's grave!"

WACK!!

"How is she going to stand on her two feet if you baby her all the time?" The tomboy asked her father as he squirmed in pain on the ground, holding his shin. "You need to let her do things for herself."

"Oh Karin!" their father said to his daughter, crying crocodile tears. "Why must you be so cruel to daddy? What have I done to deserve such cruel treatment?"

Yuzu made it up the hill.

"Finally." Yuzu said, waving to Karin and her father. "Come on you two! Otherwise mother will be mad!"

Then, she spotted him: A tall man with a sad look on his face. He had orange hair which was neatly combed back. He wore black armor, a black cloak with red and white layers underneath, and there was a huge cleaver on his back. A horse was nearby grazing quietly in a field. The old man who was usually at the grave ran towards Yuzu, Karin and their father as they all made it to the top of the hill.

"What is it Yuzu?" Karin asked her sister, and then followed her gaze to the young man standing before them, in front of their mother's grave.

There was a wreath of flowers on the grave. The memorial to Karin and Yuzu's brother, and their father's son was dismantled.

"I have very good news!" The old man cried to the family. "This man has claimed to be your long lost son, Isshin."

Isshin Kurosaki looked at the boy in a new light. Ichigo Kurosaki was the boy. The boy took in a deep breath, clenched his fist and started walking to the family-his family. Ichigo could feel the breath leave him. His feet felt like lead, and he could barely lift them. His knees quaked. A lump in throat formed. He stopped a few feet away from his family and the old man. He fell to his knees, and the girls gasped at his sudden movement. He threw a battle knife to the ground before Isshin. He lifted his hands together, mimicking as if they were tied together. He clenched his eyes shut.

"I'm not worthy to be called your son!" Ichigo screamed to his father. "I'm the reason mom died! I am not even worthy to stay alive when she is dead! Take the knife and do to me what you will! I don't care! I opened the door carelessly and let the men inside our home! If I had been more careful-"

A kick came to Ichigo's head, sending him sprawling on the ground. Ichigo looked up in surprise as dull pain pulsed in his chin.

"Shut up!" Isshin said. "What kind of man are you? You wear armor as if you're some great warrior, and then you don't even defend yourself? You have the nerve of telling me to kill you, my own son, and right in front of your sisters, too? What kind of man have you become? Are you that warped in your thinking? Did you not see what Masaki did for you? She saved your life for a reason! She wants you to live! _I _want you to live! Instead of hugging your sisters, and telling them that you love them, and that you missed them, you have the nerve of telling them to treat you like dirt? Who do you think I am? Who do you think they are? People make mistakes! You were a kid! That man with the mask used a doll to fool you! Even if your mother checked before she opened the door, there is a chance that she would be fooled too! Judging from how she locked your sisters in the bedroom, she would have done the same to you! She would be facing those three men by herself. Think, Ichigo! What would have happened to her if you were not there? She would have died and suffered much! For God's sake, they could have raped your mother! If it was her time to go, it was her time to go! No one can change that!"

"Don't you blame me?" Ichigo said bitterly. "I-I killed mom!"

"You still tried to beat those guys with that knife and rolling pin!" Isshin said. "You tried to defend your sisters! That is honorable! That is the man you have to be from now on, Ichigo! I don't know what in the hell you went through after that man took you away from us! Judging by the horse, armor, and the weapons you probably have, you have become someone entirely different! Your mother loves you, no matter what you have done! If you want to make it up to your mother, be there for your sisters! Defend yourself whenever I beat you up! Fight oppression! Fight the evil men just like that masked man and his men that came to our house and took your mother away from us forever! If you really feel badly about your mother's death, then tell her; me and your sisters tell her everything that we can during this day each year! Never forget that she loves you! And now that you are back in our lives, we are here, too! In time, we will learn to love you for who you are! You will learn to love your sisters, and have a decent relationship with me! We're here for you, now! Today, we will celebrate you, Ichigo! We will not mourn for Masaki, because by her blessing, we have found you alive and kicking! There are evil men in this world, and the only problem I might have with you is if you are an evil man, who kills for pleasure and does evil things for money or no reason at all! The only thing that I want for you is to live well, and die happy. That is the only thing I hope for all my children."

Tears welled up in Yuzu's eyes, and softly they fell as she watched Ichigo and Isshin speak to each other. Karin tried to fight it, but she could not stop the tears of relief she felt at finding their brother. Both broke down and zoomed past Isshin, colliding with Ichigo, hugging him. The lump in Ichigo's throat would not go away as he embraced his new-found sisters. Isshin walked over to Masaki's grave, and lit up a cigarette.

"It's been one hell of a day." Isshin said, looking up to the blue sky, and sparkling beams of light that fell between the sparse clouds from the sun. "Thank you Masaki. Ichigo has found us once again. His time to tell us his story will wait until later, after they are all finished crying with one another. I have no idea what type of man Ichigo has become, but I hope that he has the strength to overcome the coming storm."

Isshin had his back to Ichigo so as to not see the boy cry, and cry he did as Yuzu kissed him repeatedly on the cheek, and Karin's iron grip could not be fought as she hugged him, not wanting to let go. They were very happy for finding each other after a decade of being apart…

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"Come on, Princess." One of Orihime's classmates and friend said to the Princess of Hueco Mundo. "You have to try it!"

"I don't know…" Orihime said, blushing quite a bit at what her friend was proposing.

There had been rumors that a powerful sorceress lived in Hueco Mundo. Some said she changed shape. Some said that she could fly and shoot fire from her eyes. Some even dared to say it might not even be a woman, but a man. The reason Orihime's friend was trying to get Orihime to talk to the sorceress was because there was another rumor going around saying that the sorceress had powers to show who someone's one true love would be. Aizen knew that Orihime felt a little lonely in that regard, so he organized several rich, young suitors to present themselves to Orihime as potential mates. Orihime had been so engrossed in her work that she had fallen asleep several times, or started daydreaming about a knight in shining armor who would be there for her, and when Aizen caught wind of it, he ordered her to take a break and go out with some of the friends she managed to have. She wondered what it would be like to fall in love with someone. She tried picturing herself with the various men in her life. Grimmjow was 'in love' with Neliel, so he was crossed off her list right off the bat. That left the other generals of Aizen's army. The only person she felt any closeness to was Ulquiorra, but with the way he was, he never showed any emotion. He was very mysterious, but was rumored to be one of the most ruthless Generals in Hueco Mundo history. Some said he too had powers like the sorceress, but Orihime had not seen Ulquiorra use any of his so called powers. Orihime wanted someone who was warmer than Ulquiorra, so she gave up on him. She did not dare even think of the older men who were Aizen's confidents: Kaname and Ichimaru. Just thinking of them both made her skin crawled. It was no secret that they had sinister plans for the people of Hueco Mundo. Orihime believed they might want power for themselves and might fight Aizen for it, but it never happened. The suitors Aizen organized to see Orihime were sub-par. They were annoying spoiled brats who never knew hardship, and never knew personal loss, which Orihime had.

She had lost her real parents at an early age, because Sora took her away from them. According to her brother, their parents had been two of the cruelest people ever known. They were abusive, and did not treat Orihime like the princess she had become. And then, Sora had died…All Orihime had left was Sosuke Aizen, who loved her enough to talk to her, one-on-one with no pretenses that they were above anyone else. Aizen made Orihime feel loved (No sex, don't worry), so she was glad to defend him whenever servants gossiped about the ways he handled things. Some things that the servants said disturbed Orihime. Apparently, Aizen had killed men, women and children himself. Orihime could not wrap her head around it, because Aizen was such a good man to her. She stood up for him and told the servants off. They listened to her because they had the utmost respect for her. She was gentle, and not a fighter. She was known as the better royalty, so the people loved her for it. That is why Aizen wanted her as the negotiator for the country.

As any teenager, she went through puberty, and did think about sex from time to time, when she was not busy, or if she so desired to. Caught in a lie one time, her friend found out what the princess had been thinking of. However, Orihime did not direct her desire to anyone at the present moment. Sure, there were noble boys who went to her academy that she thought were attractive, but they were not as rich as the boys Aizen organized to date Orihime. Her friend wanted to show Orihime who her true love would be so that she could pursue him. Her friend thought Orihime and this other boy would get together, so she made an appointment so that Orihime could see the sorceress. They travelled with a few guards towards the location of the sorceress' business. Several other girls had heard about where Orihime and her friend were going, so they joined the group, making it necessary for more guards and servants to be summoned to follow the group and tend to their needs. They travelled for two days, and two nights, stopping one day to sleep and eat. Then, they continued their travels to their final destination.

The girls, including Orihime, giggled and laughed at what they expected. Some of them wanted to also find out who their own true loves would be. The group came to the small town where the sorceress lived. The guards searched for any threat in the town, and then came up to a building with the sign of the sorceress.

"Shihoin?" Orihime's best friend said. "I heard tales from Essess that the Shihoin family lives there. They are nobility, so why would one of them be here?"

"Maybe something happened?" Another girl said. "Maybe they left the country because of the war?"

"Who knows?" Yet another girl said. "Let's see who this sorceress is!"

The group of girls waited anxiously as they opened the door, ever so slowly. Frankincense could be smelt throughout the foyer they entered. There was a little girl at a desk.

"Hello." The little girl said meekly, getting to her feet, and curtsied. "Welcome to Yoruichi Shihoin's Magic Palace, where your innermost desires will be told, and your future will be shown. I am Ururu Tsumugiya."

"Nice to meet you!" Orihime said to the little girl, bowing her head in respect to the much younger girl. "My name is Orihime Inoue, the Princess of Hueco Mundo. These are my friends."

The girls announced themselves to Ururu, who wrote down every name in a guest book.

"You will go to see Madame Yoruichi one by one." Ururu explained shyly. "Starting with you!"

Ururu pointed to a girl, who cried out in surprise. She waved good-bye to the girls, and went with Ururu to see the sorceress. 15 minutes passed. The girl and Ururu came back. The girl was blushing profusely.

"Ohmigod!!" She exclaimed, "You guys won't want to know who I am going to marry later in the future!"

She told the group of girls, and they giggled, while a few of them blushed since they had crushes on the same guy. The other girls went into the room to see Yoruichi. It took four hours to see all of the girls, and then finally, it was Orihime's turn.

"Sorry Orihime." Orihime's best friend said. "It looks like I'm going to be with the person you have a crush on."

Orihime laughed, sweating a little bit. She did not have the courage to tell her friend that the person she thought Orihime liked was rather detested by the princess. He was a scoundrel, and a pervert. He was not at all who Orihime thought she would be with, and was glad someone else would end up with him, but she felt sorry for her friend.

"It's your turn, Princess." Ururu said.

"Umm…"Orihime stalled. "Out of curiosity, has the Lady Yoruichi said anything about your future?"

"Yes." Ururu blushed. "I will become a great warrior, and defend Lady Yoruichi from the dangers that come her way."

"Is there anyone for you in your future?" Orihime asked, "Don't you find anyone you might want to be married to?"

"Yes." Ururu said. "The man I will be with is named Akira Toryama, who goes to my school."

"You go to school," Orihime said quite shocked, "And you work for the sorceress."

"Yes!" Ururu said. "Madame Yoruichi adopted me, and taught me many things! Sorry, but could you see the sorceress now, time is going by and you need to get back to the palace!"

Orihime smiled after finding out she had something in common with Yoruichi's assistant. Orihime followed Ururu into the back room, where Yoruichi would be. The butterflies in Orihime's stomach fluttered faster and faster. Her throat went dry, so she licked her lips to try and moisten her mouth as well as her lips, but it did not help. She clenched the front of her dress, which was the white dress she always wore whenever she was off-duty. Ururu stayed by the entrance to the room. Beaded strings hung from the door frame as Ururu pointed to the room.

"Have fun, princess." Ururu said, smiling a bit.

"Thank you, Ururu." Orihime placed her hand on the child's head for a second, and then parted the beaded strings with both hands.

Orihime walked into the room, and looked at the woman that lay before her, smoking a pipe. There were empty dishes all around the sorceress. The sorceress had long black or purple hair, golden eyes, and dark skin. Her dress was black with gold and orange designs all around it. The sorceress sat up, crossing her legs as Orihime bowed humbly towards her.

"I am a servant of the people." Orihime said. "I am the Princess of Hueco Mundo, Orihime Inoue."

"I know who you are, fair Princess." Yoruichi smiled. "But do you know who I am?"

"You are a powerful sorceress." Orihime replied.

"Maybe." Yoruichi smiled at the girl before her. "I used to be General of the Covert Ops Soldiers for Essess. Your foster-father influenced one of the other Generals, and made him wage war with Essess by himself and the race of archers known as the Quincy. Essess wiped out most of the Quincies, except for two or three who fled to Karakura Town, where they are now in power of the whole town. You will be going to that town soon to being negotiations with Essess' personnel. I tried to stop the General from being executed because he was innocent. Instead, I was betrayed by my protégé and personal guard. I was poisoned, and if it was not for Ururu, I would have died. She saved me, and has been here for me ever since."

"The way Ururu told it," Orihime said quite surprised, "She said that you saved her!"

"She's shy like that." Yoruichi smiled, taking a few puffs of her pipe. "You don't mind if I smoke, do you?"

"No, it's your house." Orihime said humbly. "But I wish you did not speak about my father like that. He really is a good man. I spent years with him, so I know him."

"Okay, I will never mention him again." Yoruichi laughed bitterly, knowing all too well that Aizen was capable of heinous acts. "Please, take a seat before me."

Orihime sat down on a cushion that was before Yoruichi. The sorceress pulled a table from beside her, and placed it in front of Orihime, moving the empty dishes out of the way. On the table was a crystal ball.

"What do you want to know?" Yoruichi asked. "Do you want to know how the world ends, or how about just this war between our two countries?"

This piqued Orihime's interest, but she realized that time was running out. In her heart, there was a piece of doubt into who Aizen really was. With her, he was never angry. In fact, she had spied on him before, and watched him interact with everyone, from Generals to regular servants. He never got mad with any of them. However, Grimmjow got the wrong idea at a meeting that took place, because there were three intruders into the palace. He had got up in the middle of the meeting, and headed towards the door. Aizen told him to come back, but Grimmjow did not listen. Suddenly, Kaname leapt into action, and drew his sword, running towards Grimmjow, who smiled wickedly, drawing his own sword.

"If you strike Kaname," Aizen told Grimmjow from across the room, "I will be forced to punish you Grimmjow."

Grimmjow looked with fear at the King, as Kaname pointed his blade at the General's neck.

"My Lord!" Kaname bellowed. "Let me punish him for his disobedience at once!"

"Now Kaname." Aizen said smiling, "We would not want anything to happen to one of our most useful instruments, would we?"

Kaname blew steam from his nose, and punched Grimmjow right in the gut, doubling him over. Orihime had gasped from her hiding spot. Aizen looked over to where she was, and she tried hiding herself better, but she knew: He had known she was there all along.

BACK TO THE PRESENT:

"No, Madame Yoruichi." Orihime said reluctantly. "I would just like to see who I end up with in the future. I wish to end up with a good man!"

"I cannot control your life, and who you choose to wed." Yoruichi warned. "I can only show you the person you will fall in love with."

Orihime's eyes widened. Would she then be forced to marry someone from Essess to stop the war? Would she marry someone out of duty rather than out of love? That was what many people of royalty did in a few countries to stop conflicts. Orihime did not want to marry anyone because she was forced to. She longed for love, despite the many hundreds of people who worshipped her. She just wanted someone who could be there for her, and love her for who she was on the inside.

"Give me your hand." Yoruichi ordered, and Orihime complied, sighing softly. "Close your eyes."

_This is it._ Orihime thought. _I will see who I am doomed to be with for the rest of my life. He's probably going to be the meanest, hurtful, lazy, lustful, greedy, ignorant man ever. If I know who I will end up with, can I stop it?_

Yoruichi placed her hand on the crystal ball. She then let go of Orihime and started summoning the future as related to Orihime. Suddenly, Orihime cried out as Yoruichi's spell was cast.

It felt like a dream. Orihime was surrounded by darkness. Then she felt warm all over. She looked around her, but could not find the source of the warmth. It was as if a body had been pressed up against her. Then, there was a smell. She closed her eyes, and focused on the smell. She felt strong arms go around her waist, making her blush as she realized someone kissed her bare neck. She felt safe in those arms, those strong arms that had held her tenderly. The soft fabric of the person's shirt was unlike anything Orihime had felt in Hueco Mundo. It was not expensive fabric, and was a bit rough, but on him (Orihime assumed it was a 'him') it felt really good. His scent soothed her. Orihime tried to turn to see the face, but all too soon, the warmth disappeared, and all Orihime was left with was the smell.

She released the crystal ball, and opened her eyes. Yoruichi just gaped at Orihime.

"You saw things that my magic could never have shown you." Yoruichi admitted to the princess. "I barely casted a spell when you started seeing whatever your future has in store for you."

"It wasn't my future." Orihime said, blushing a little bit. "It was the man of my dreams."

**

* * *

**

Ichigo awoke in a sweat. He was wearing his black boxers to sleep. His sisters slept together in the old man's shack, and Ichigo, the old man, and Isshin slept outside on blankets. Ichigo wiped the sweat from his brow.

_Who the hell was that? _Ichigo thought as he remembered his vivid dream. _She was so warm, but there was a black hand over her neck! It was like death itself was warning me! I have to protect her from whatever might come! I have to stop her from dying. She must be very important for something to appear in my dream. Was this dream because of my imagination, or was it because of Senna's magic? I don't know. Whatever the case, I have to be careful to see if anything happens to my family or the townspeople. I swear mother, Senna, I will stop this person from dying, and I will protect Karin, Yuzu, and my father, even if I have to sacrifice myself to do it!_

Ichigo looked to the sky as clouds continued to roll in. Maybe it was a bad idea for them to sleeping outside like this. Ichigo went to his belongings and took out a huge tarp like blanket, and used special rods to erect a tent and rain cover over his father and the old man. He crawled into the tent, and tried to go back to sleep. Kon whinnied nearby.

_**GoldDragon08: **_On with the next chapter! Please Review!!


	8. Chapter 8

**Knight of Karakura Town: Chapter Eight**

_**GoldDragon08: **_So Orihime saw Ichigo for the first time in her vision, but she still doesn't know what he really looks like. Hopefully you guys enjoyed that little bit! I'm still in school so things will come slowly. Thanks for reading!! OMG GO SEE THIS: youtube: watch?v=nNAWSMXVUTY!!! FINAL FIGHT BETWEEN SHIROSAKI/ICHIGO and ULQUIORRA!!!!

Kon shook his head, trying to get Yuzu to let go of his mane. She had managed to tie his hair into braids, adding different colors of braids to his mane. Instead of the usual sattle that Ichigo used, he had placed blankets on top of the horse so that two people could ride him. Karin sat behind Yuzu, pulling on the reigns.

"So you hired that old man to tend to mother's grave." Ichigo said to his father, who looked to his son. "What's going to happen when he dies?"

"Do you always think so negatively?" Isshin said, slamming his fist into Ichigo's back, making him drop headfirst into a steaming hot turd Kon had just dropped. Ichigo roared as he wiped the shit from his face.

"What the hell?" Ichigo yelled at his father. "Is that how you treat your children?"

"Nope." Isshin smiled as Ichigo slammed his fist into his father's midsection. "I only treat you like this."

"Oh, good!" Ichigo said sarcastically as he started walking up ahead of Kon so a repeat of what happened would not happen again.

Ichigo was carrying the sattle, his armor, his weapons, and had the misfortune to be also carrying Isshin, Yuzu, and Karin's things.

"Yo, can you give me a hand here?" Ichigo asked his father, who grinned while playfully slapping Ichigo in the face.

"Nope!" Isshin said while smiling.

"What did I do to deserve this?" Ichigo asked himself, and then to his father: "You know, I can drop your things, and then you have to pick it up yourself."

WACK!!

Ichigo doubled over as his left hand went to his stomach. He groaned and stumbled, losing his footing. He fell backwards, and the things on his back started to come undone. He grumbled as he picked up everything as fast as he could, reassembling them so that he could continue carrying them. Ichigo ran up to Kon, and dodged a flying side-kick from Isshin. It was Isshin's turn to collide with horse-shit produced by Kon.

"Ha, ha!" Isshin said, wiping his face with Ichigo's cloak. "You learn well, my disciple!"

"I'm going to strangle you." Ichigo seethed.

They came to a hill, and walked up it. They stood at the top and looked down at a wall town that was under construction in many places. The signs of battle were evident all over the town, and even on the walls outside it. Ichigo looked all around the town, feeling uneasy.

"Ichigo." Isshin said seriously for once. "Do you know how to dress wounds, administer medicine, and talk to people, and be friendly at it?"

"Sure." Ichigo said. "I can do way more than dress wounds. I can use special staples to close wounds!"

"Do you have any of those 'special staples' with you?" Isshin asked his son.

"No," Ichigo realized. "What's it to you?"

A fist slammed into Ichigo's head, sending him rolling all the way down the hill towards the town. His belongings followed as Isshin kicked them down for Ichigo to get them.

"You have much to learn, my student!" Isshin called to his son, who picked up a spear. "Our clinic for the poor cannot afford your staples, or the tools to use such devices!"

"I know we just met." Ichigo said, clenching his teeth, "But you are really making me angry!"

Ichigo left his stuff at the bottom of the hill and charged into battle with his father. CRUNCH!! POW!!ZING!!GRASH!! CRUMP!! DOM!!

"Father, brother!" Yuzu cried out to the two of them. "Stop fighting, please! The others will see you!"

"Don't worry about them." Karin said. "Let's just go home. They will come later."

**

* * *

**

"It's really lucky Mayuri had antidotes for his poisons that the creature coughed up." Uryu said to Tatsuki, who was getting better thanks to Uryu's diligence in finding things that were necessary to heal the inhabitants of Karakura Town.

"Thanks for treating us, Mr. Ishida." Tatsuki said to Uryu, who put his index finger to his face, and pushed up his spectacles. "If we weren't so stupid, we wouldn't be in this situation."

"Nonsense." Uryu said. "You both did what you could against the Jizo. Thankfully, its dead now, so we won't be dealing with anything like it in the near future."

"Knock on wood." Tatsuki said, lying back down on her hospital bed. "How's Sado doing?"

"He told me to treat you first." Uryu replied. "He really loves you. I'm going to treat him right now!"

"Thank you." Tatsuki said blushing at the thought that her boyfriend had sacrificed his own health for her.

Uryu walked, getting out of Tatsuki's private room, going past a dozen or so rooms towards Sado's room. Uryu rounded the corner and knocked on the door to Sado's room, which he shared with someone else.

"Come in!" The other person said.

Uryu entered the room, and saw the man. He looked to Sado's bed and his eyes widened.

"Oh no." Uryu said: Sado Yasutora was no longer in his bed, or in the room.

Uryu raced to the receptionist, who stood up upon seeing him.

"Where is he?" Uryu demanded. "Where is Sado Yasutora? He's still not well, why didn't you stop him?"

"Begging your pardon, sir." The receptionist said meekly. "A group of men took him away, despite his state. I tried to stop them, but they pushed me out of the way. I tried to tell you, but you were busy with other patients who were poisoned."

"Son of a bitch!" Uryu cursed under his breath. "Which way did they go?"

**

* * *

**

They were alone, Neliel and Grimmjow. Grimmjow averted his eyes to the ground while Neliel glared at him.

"Listen." Grimmjow said, clearing his throat. "About the other day…when I-I screwed up. I hit you too hard. I didn't do things right. You have every right to be mad, and, shit, I'm fucking sorry, okay?"

"You're 'fucking sorry'?" Neliel scoffed. "I am a masochist, so I admit; I kind of enjoyed some things, but not everything. I'm not your outlet for frustration after you lose battles."

"I know!" Grimmjow said, and then looked into her eyes. "I just don't want to lose you."

Now it was Neliel's turn to avert her eyes.

"It's too late isn't it?" Grimmjow said, clenching his right fist, and then turned to leave her alone. "Forget what I said, I'm just going to leave you alone."

Grimmjow took a step, and then Neliel grabbed his hand, and spun him around. Surprise was evident on his face as Neliel hugged him tightly, burying her face in his shirt. He wrapped his arms around her as she cried quietly. He stroked her hair softly, rubbing her back as well to sooth her. She tightened her grasp on the back of his shirt.

"Its okay, Nel." Grimmjow said with compassion in his voice. "I'm not going to leave you. I-I…"

His words failed him, more so as she looked into his eyes. Her eyes were red from crying, but looked huge, and they seemed to be the pinnacle Grimmjow could only focus on. He wiped the tears from her face with his left hand, and then bent down, kissing her as passionately as he could to try and get his point across.

"You love me…" Neliel said as they parted to breathe. "You truly don't want to lose me."

Grimmjow smiled meekly, blushing a little bit. Then she slapped him across the face, making him look at her in shock.

"What was that for?" Grimmjow asked her.

"You turned away and took back your apology!" Neliel said. "You can't just do that! You screwed with my emotions like that! You don't have the right!"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry Nel!" Grimmjow said, raising his hands in surrender. "I really like you…I love you!"

Neliel grasped his cheeks and brought his face closer to hers to kiss him. Deeply, tenderly, their lips touched, and moved against each other. Neliel took Grimmjow's lower lip in between her lips and started sucking it. She poked her tongue out, and rubbed it against Grimmjow's teeth. He opened his mouth, and their tongues massaged each other. Her tongue invaded his mouth, and his worked its way around hers.

"Oh, Grimey." Neliel said, giving Grimmjow his own nickname. "I think I know what you want."

Neliel winked to him suggestively. She was wearing a simple shirt, skirt, and sandals, because she was off-duty and had not needed to wear any armor or anything else. She pulled up her shirt until the bottom of her breasts was showing. Grimmjow swallowed as he looked expectantly at her chest. Playfully, Neliel giggled, taking Grimmjow's hands in hers. She placed both of his huge hands on her breasts, underneath her shirt.

_So soft…_Grimmjow thought. _Were they always like this? I swear I felt them hundreds of times since we became intimate, so why now…?_

Grimmjow leaned over, and rested his head on Neliel's. He closed his eyes, and sighed.

"You know, we don't have to do this," Grimmjow said honestly. "You only do this because it's what I want. What do you want, Nel?"

A frown formed on Neliel's face. She pushed Grimmjow's hands from her chest, and put down her shirt. Her hair hid her eyes from Grimmjow. Gently, he brushed her hair from her face. She had her eyes clenched tightly.

"Grimey…" Nel said as Grimmjow wrapped his arms around her.

"Your troops." Grimmjow said. "You must be worried about them. Many have died in this forsaken war. There's nothing like hunting people down and killing them, but it's taken a toll, hasn't it?"

"How…?" Neliel looked at him with wide eyes.

"Because I feel the same way." Grimmjow admitted. "Hundreds of good men and women have died. Did you hear? Me, Aizen and a few others killed Amagai and the families of his army. I don't really like killing children, but that's what Aizen told us to do. We killed hundreds of people."

"Oh, Grimey!" Neliel said, holding him tighter.

**AUTHOR's NOTE: **I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta I gotta there gonna have sex.

Grimmjow captured Neliel in a surprising kiss filled with hidden emotions. She tried to give the same back to him. Grimmjow ripped off the tunic he was wearing, and Neliel squealed as Grimmjow picked her up bridal style. He walked with her all the way to one of their closest bedrooms. They left the door open, not caring who would hear them. Grimmjow set Neliel on the bed, and sat beside her.

"Tell me…" He said. "If you don't want to do this, then push me away. Kick my ass, punch me, use a knife to stab me, do something that will stop this! And when I'm gone, close the door, and lock it so no one can see!"

Neliel punched Grimmjow in the face, and climbed on top of him, holding his hands onto the bed. He let her maneuver him (Well she was quite strong, possibly even stronger than him, so he did not have a choice really)

"We both need this." Neliel smiled. "But thanks for your sincerity."

Neliel licked Grimmjow's chin, lips, and upper-lip, slowly. He smiled, and blood formed in his mouth from his now split lip. Neliel frowned. She took off her shirt, and wiped the blood away from his mouth. With his free hand, Grimmjow stroked Neliel's face. She threw and forgot the shirt on the floor. The way she was straddling him made her skirt hike up. Grimmjow got a full frontal view of Neliel's panties.

"Watermelons?" Grimmjow chuckled. "A General of Hueco Mundo wearing underwear like that? I think I have to do something about that."

Neliel smiled knowing he was just trying to be sexual with her, and not really wanting to insult her choice in undergarments. Grimmjow rolled over, and Neliel was the one now on the bed. Grimmjow slowly slipped her panty off, and gradually took it off her legs. He took off her sandals, and threw them behind him, with the panty too. He kissed her left ankle, and kissed the back of her right shin. He took both of her legs into his hands, and kissed them both all over. Goosebumps appeared on Neliel's body.

"Squeeze them harder!" Neliel moaned.

Grimmjow complied and squeezed her legs, letting his teeth run over her tender, glowing skin. He came to her thighs, and ran his hand up her left thigh, to her crotch, but then ran his hand over her thigh towards her buttocks:

V (her crotch) - his hand went that way, not under

V---------

He grabbed her right butt cheek, and slid both hands up her sides. She placed her hands on his arms as his face came close to hers. They kissed briefly, and then Grimmjow continued his ministrations. He kissed her chin, and kissed under it, leaving a trail towards her right ear lobe, which he pulled on with his lips. He let go of it quickly, and started kissing down her neck. His right hand groped her left breast, making her groan as he was a bit rough with it, squeezing it a bit, and pinching the nipple. Her hands were roaming his body, and had felt up his hardening manhood, until he started going down. She stroked his hair after that. His trail of kisses led to her right nipple, so he started kneading the breast while sucking on it. Neliel threw her head back in ecstasy. Grimmjow played with her breasts for a few minutes, sucking both tits, ramming both breasts together and squeezing them. He was rewarded with a guttural sound that emanated from within Neliel's throat.

_Oh, god…_ Nel's mind was bank except for when she felt a new sensation from Grimmjow's touch. _This is nothing like he's ever done before! _His legs were rubbing against hers as well, and one of his pant legs had ran up his leg, so she could feel bare flesh against hers. Grimmjow started leaving kisses down the middle of Neliel's abdomen, leading to her skirt, which he agonizingly slowly, pulled it off her. He pushed her legs apart gently, and Neliel propped herself onto her elbows.

"Take it off!" Neliel ordered, seductively. "I want to see it!"

"What?" Grimmjow teased. "I do not understand what you want."

Neliel sat up, and started fighting with Grimmjow's pants, but he kept batting away her hands. Neliel moaned, dissatisfied. But then, before they lost the moment, Grimmjow kissed Neliel, while taking her left hand and putting it down his pants. Neliel gasped as she felt the length of his manhood.

_Was I having sex with someone else this whole time? _Neliel thought to herself. _I thought Grimey was smaller than this! I don't know if it'll fit!_

As if reading her mind, Grimmjow pushed her hand away, getting a sigh in protest. He pulled down his pants, and used the head of his member to prod her moist entrance. She bit her upper lip, while lying back onto the bed, giving Grimmjow full control of what he was doing to her. She started moving her hips back and forth over the head of his member. All too soon, Grimmjow pulled away. Neliel looked at him, only to see him place his face over her opening. And then she felt his lips, tongue and chin push into her folds. Grimmjow made sure his movements were agonizingly slow. He licked from bottom (Not her asshole, don't worry) to the top of her entrance, running his tongue over and around her budding clit, over, and over, and over and over and (Oooohhh, Grimey!!).

Grimmjow used both hands to make sure her legs were far apart. He then used his hands to spread her lips. He took one flap of skin into his mouth, and sucked on it. He did this for a few minutes while putting his middle finger over her entrance. Neliel moaned as he started fingering her, in a 'come hither' motion.

"Come on, Grimey!" Neliel pleaded. "I'm falling asleep here! Doing something better!"

"If you insist, my little antelope." Grimmjow said seductively, while putting his tongue directly on her clitoris.

He moved it around with his tongue, bringing great pleasure to Neliel, He made sure to keep fingering her too, adding more to the experience. Using his pinky of the hand that he was fingering Neliel with, he started pushing it into Neliel's asshole. Neliel looked at him with shock, and blushed a few more shades of red.

"Grimmjow," Neliel said. "I think I'm getting close!"

Grimmjow stopped doing everything, and grabbed both of her ankles. Her legs were wide open, and Grimmjow looked deep into Neliel's eyes.

"I need you to guide me in." He said quietly, letting her do something so that they could both be part of the love making.

Neliel sighed when Grimmjow's 'head' was inserted her moistened folds. He started pushing himself slowly inside her. Neliel closed her eyes, making Grimmjow believe that she was the most beautiful being in all existence. Grimmjow went all the way in.

"Do me quick!" Neliel said smiling wickedly while she began rocking her hips up and down.

Grimmjow complied, and started thrusting into her very fast. With each thrust, their pelvises slammed into each other, making a clapping sound. Neliel bit her upper lip as she moved her hips, and he thrust again and again. Neliel started bucking her hips faster and faster, making 'oh, oh' sounds that were increasingly getting louder. Grimmjow gritted his teeth as he continued humping her. Then, Neliel pulled away from him, crying out as she ran her fingers quickly over her clitoris as hot liquid squirted out of her. Her orgasm subsided, and she brought her hips closer to Grimmjow. This time, Grimmjow looked at her face.

"Let's go again!" Neliel smiled as Grimmjow guided himself in.

They continued having sex, sweat glistening on their bodies, and this time, Neliel's orgasm came faster, but Grimmjow did not let her pull away, because he wanted to feel her walls squeeze him, while the liquid poured down onto his cock.

"Oh that felt good." Grimmjow said. "Do you want to stop?"

"You didn't cum yet!" Neliel complained, so they went at it again.

"OH!!" Neliel threw back her head, arching her back as Grimmjow continued pounding into her.

"I think I'm going to…" Grimmjow said.

All of a sudden, Neliel wrapped her legs around Grimmjow, keeping him inside her. Usually, whenever Grimmjow was close to climaxing, he would pull out and aim anywhere but her entrance. That is why she never got pregnant. But for some reason, Neliel was keeping him inside her, not moving at all.

"What are you doing?" Grimmjow asked Neliel, and then he noticed the tears brimming in her eyes.

"What do you mean?" She asked him. "We've been together since forever. You protected me from Nnoitra when he tried to hurt me. And, we're in war Grimmjow. There is a chance that something can happen to you. I don't know what would happen if I lost you. I love you Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, with all my heart."

"Do you think so low of me," Grimmjow said, averting his eyes. "That I would die and never come back to you? That's not going to happen. If you are serious about getting pregnant, I have a secret to tell you."

Neliel's curiosity was piqued and she raised one of her eyebrows.

"What is it?" Neliel asked, trying to not sound as if she was prying.

"You need to move your hips to make me cum so that we can have a kid." Grimmjow said bluntly.

"Oh." Neliel blushed, and they started concentrating on the task at hand.

Grimmjow had partly lost his erection while they were speaking, so he needed help to get it again. Neliel felt it inside her, and it was not as big as before, so she climbed off the bed.

"Hey, it'll come back just now, hold on." Grimmjow said.

"I'm holding on all right." Neliel said, fully grasping Grimmjow's manhood with her hand, and then started pumping it slowly.

She ever so lightly, licked the head, right where the hole was. She then pressed her tongue to it, and licked around it clockwise. She licked underneath the shaft, going slowly towards the ball-sack. She started sucking on one of his balls.

"Easy!" Grimmjow said. "I don't really get any pleasure there, just focus on the disco stick!"

"Alright, Hun!" Neliel was more than willing to pleasure Grimmjow enough for him to go back to his previous state.

She licked the bottom of the shaft all the way to the tip, and then opened her mouth. She closed her mouth on his member, and started moving down his shaft, stuffing as much of him as she could into her mouth. Her teeth gently brushed the top and bottom of his member. Neliel had enough, and started easing off him, only to bob back down on his shaft yet again. She did this a few times, and was rewarded with a huge moan from Grimmjow, who was really enjoying himself. Neliel stopped when she felt he was ready to continue. She got up, and turned her back to him, bending over on the bed with both hands placed at the appropriate angles.

"I love it when we do it dog style." Neliel said, licking her lips.

"You mean, _panther style!_" Exclaimed Grimmjow, who placed his left hand on her left hip and used his other hand to guide himself back into her.

Grimmjow slid into her, and started thrusting again. Neliel moaned because Grimmjow was hitting her special spot just right. He quickened his pace when he judged that he would explode soon. Neliel whipped her hair from her face as her hips rocked back and forth in the opposite motion of Grimmjow. Then, over exaggerating his release, Grimmjow thrust deep within Neliel and groaned loudly, saying "Ugh, Oh, Urrr!!"

Neliel felt warm liquid squirt from Grimmjow into her womb. Grimmjow thrust two more times, and Neliel had an orgasm of her own, though it was a quite small one. She was satisfied nonetheless. Grimmjow's erection disappeared after a few minutes, and he sat on the bed beside her. She sat down too.

"What should we name the child, when we have it?" Neliel asked Grimmjow.

"I always wanted a little mini-me." Grimmjow admitted. "If it's a boy, how about Kurogane?"

"If you get to pick the name if it's a boy, I want to pick the name if it's a girl!" Neliel said, standing up before her lover. "I think her name should be…May."

"May?" Grimmjow repeated. "Your name sounds better than mine; it sounds cute for a little girl. But I still think Kurogane sounds tough, you know?"

"Yeah." Neliel straddled Grimmjow, rubbing their noses together, and then kissing him.

He stood up while she wrapped her legs around him. Grimmjow carried her to the head of the bed and laid her down, and then hopped into bed next to her, grabbing the sheets, and covering them both. This had been the best sex they had, or at least one of the most memorable times. Soon they were asleep, Grimmjow falling into slumber well before Neliel did. She nestled beside him, kissing his bare skin lightly.

"I love you, Grimey." She said before sweet unconsciousness claimed her.

**Author's Note: **Okay, sex is very tricky. Most women do not have more than one orgasm, and even if they have one, the couple has to be in the same position until that time. I have never heard of a girl having a 'little orgasm' so that is something I made up. Pulling out before your time (men) may not work, because while you have an erection, sperm (not semen) is spewed from the tip of the penis to moisten the head as well as the vagina. That means there is a chance that the girl can become pregnant even if you pull out and don't pump the woman full of cum. One last thing: I know Neliel is supposed to be a masochist, but I figure women like to have tender sex sometimes as well as rough sex, if they are masochists. Grimmjow is Sadistic, but I wanted to show here that he can be good if he wants. None of the Espada are Hollows in this story, so it is more likely that they will have emotions, and can change for the better. I hope this clears things up and satisfies the people who read this story and are like "WHERE'S THE SEX OR LEMONS?!?!" GoldDragon08 you bitch!! You screw me over all the time!!

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Orihime blushed a deep shade of red similar to a tomato. She had heard Grimmjow and Neliel. She wanted to ask Neliel about her relationship since she seemed to be the only woman in the Princess' life that had a relationship at all. She had spotted Grimmjow carrying Neliel into the room, and stayed by the door, listening the whole time to the two talking to each other, and go at it. She walked away when silence seemed to take them, and they fell asleep. She did not dare look into the room. She walked with her head down and did not look where she was going. She could not get the smell of the man who had hugged her in the vision. She wanted to speak to someone about relationships, and topics that were associated with being in relationships, including but not limited to sex. Orihime walked through the whole palace and came to the throne room doors. She was about to open the door to see if Aizen had a moment when the door opened before her. Walking out of the throne room was Ulquiorra.

He was wearing his white armor, and it had been severely damaged. Orihime could see that the man had been hurt. There were even spots of blood which covered all of Ulquiorra's left shoulder, and there were spots on his face.

"Princess." Ulquiorra bowed humbly. "You should not be here at this time of night. Please go to your chambers. You have a lot of work still to be done as our diplomat to Essess."

"What happened to you?" Orihime asked sincerely. "You're hurt! I cannot let you wander the halls of this palace alone! I will accompany you to the doctor-surgeon."

"It is but a flesh wound." Ulquiorra said, walking past the Princess, ignoring what she said. "Do not concern yourself with trifle matters. Please go."

He insisted on going off by himself. However, Orihime was not one to just be ignored by someone who she had known for most of her life. From stories servants had told her, Ulquiorra had been one of the most loyal, strong, intellectual Generals in all of Hueco Mundo history. He was the most famous General in all Hueco Mundo, especially because of the personal sacrifices he had made for this war. He sacrificed his relationship with his wife, and had a divorce. He had taken a knife to the gut for one of his children. He had taken them to safety somewhere unknown even to Aizen. The more he had fought the war, the more he had to sacrifice. Men around him died, so he tightened his belt, and started acting coldly. He would never let anyone get close to him…His children grew after all the years. His son joined the war, while his second son studied medicine. His only daughter was in the grade-school equivalent, learning much to become an aid to the world. She could choose to become someone in music, for example, or she could follow her brother's lead and go to war, if it continued.

Orihime grabbed his right hand, and made him turn to face him.

"Hueco Mundo and Essess were supposed to have a stalemate." Orihime told the General. "You were not supposed to act against Essess in any way. In response, they are to do the same!"

"You are naive." Ulquiorra stated coldly. "It's been ten years of war. Groups of people in Hueco Mundo itself see Aizen as war mongering. They seek to have him destroyed. I cannot allow that, so I have used my army and went into battle against such adversaries. My instincts tell me that these negotiations will not go well. You will be walking into danger. You have never faced hard times, so you don't know how the people feel. Aizen had jobs cut to save money to fight the war. Several cities have become ghost towns. The people are fleeing to other countries. Our territory has never been bigger, but our population has been diminished."

"I will stop the war." Orihime said with conviction. "I will not let the deaths of the soldiers and the livelihoods of the others go to waste. I will try to bring peace to our lands, through charity, and love towards the enemy. My father gave me this task because he believes in my abilities-"

"Who is the enemy?" Ulquiorra asked her. "Who was it that started the war? The people of Hueco Mundo? The people of Essess? You? Me?"

"I don't know who started it." Orihime said.

"You don't believe that." Ulquiorra said. "You know in your heart who the real enemy is. I fight to defend these people and make sure we win because that is the only way. Otherwise we could be beat, and out citizens destroyed. There is no way I can stand against the enemy, because he is too powerful. I am but his tool."

"You can't be talking about my father!" Orihime stammered. "He's a good man! He took me in and took care of me from when I was very small! He has a good reason for having you fight this war!"

"Or maybe you can ask me yourself." A voice said from behind Orihime.

She turned around to see Aizen standing by the throne-room doors. Orihime could not read the expression on his face.

"Ulquiorra, do you despise me?" Aizen asked what he had once believed to be his loyal General. "Is that what you are trying to convey to my daughter? Are you trying to turn her against me?"

Aizen walked up and placed a warm hand on Orihime's shoulder. He looked to Ulquiorra as Orihime watched both of them.

"Sir," Ulquiorra said. "Permission to speak freely?"

"By all means." Aizen replied.

"When my usefulness has ended," Ulquiorra said. "What would you have me do? Let's say Orihime is successful in her negotiations, would there even be a need for Generals anymore?"

"We might end war with one country." Aizen said slyly. "But there are also other countries who have taken our citizens. After this war with Essess, we might have to force our citizens back to their places."

"Tell me." Ulquiorra said. "Do you view me as an equal, or do you see me as a means to an end? We both know the answer to it."

"Father, tell him that it's not true!" Orihime pleaded with Aizen. "Tell him it's all a lie! You had righteous reasons for starting this war! Didn't you?"

"I viewed Essess and their way of life as being evil." Aizen replied. "Is it a sin to try and get rid of this evil, and to take evil away from the world? I was a General for their army years ago, so I know their evil hearts. I know what they all need. They need this war to prove who they really are."

"What will you do if the negotiations are successful?" Orihime asked Aizen. "Will you stop? They will still be evil though."

"You have no need to think about such things." Aizen smiled at her, patting her shoulder, then turning his back to the two of them as he walked back into the throne room. "Oh, and Ulquiorra."

"Yes, my Lord?" Ulquiorra said without making eye contact.

"Please do as Orihime asks." Aizen said. "She only wants to help. It would be a shame if something should happen to you on your way to the infirmary."

Aizen shut the door. Orihime and Ulquiorra walked in silence until they reached their destination. A thought came to Orihime, so she came close to Ulquiorra, and took a big sniff.

"What do you smell?" Ulquiorra asked her when he noticed that she smelled him.

"Oh, ugh, nothing!" Orihime laughed embarrassed. "I was just seeing something, because I went to see the sorceress Yoruichi Shihoin, and the vision she made me see had a smell! I was just smelling to see if you or something close to here smelt like what was in my vision."

"Oh,' Ulquiorra replied uninterested. "Thank you Princess, for accompanying me. Take heed: Not everything is as it seems."

Ulquiorra opened the door and greeted the doctor who was told beforehand that Ulquiorra would be going there. Orihime sighed as she leaned against the wall. She looked through a window to the planes of Hueco Mundo as the moon shone brightly in the sky. People wanted to rebel against Aizen. Was she not loved by the people? How could she not know something like this was happening? Did they really like her, or was Ulquiorra right? Things were definitely not as they seemed.

_**GoldDragon08: **_I hope you guys liked it, especially since there was smut or a lemon in it. Thanks for reading and peace out, Home Slice! I don't get it either…Ugh…


	9. Chapter 9

**Knight of Karakura Town: Chapter Nine**

_**GoldDragon08:**_ Trust in my, Self-righteous Suicide! I cry, when angels deserve to die…Father! Into your hands, I commend my spirit, into your hands, why have you forsaken me, in your eyes forsaken me, in your thoughts forsaken me, in your heart forsaken…me? Oh, Trust in my Self-Righteous Suicide, I cry, when angels deserve to die…La Isla Bonita…

"Who in blazes are you?" The guard of the gate asked through a slit in a door for access to Karakura Town. "Who wants to come here?"

"Tis I!" Isshin Kurosaki said. "My family and I have returned with our long lost relative, Ichigo Kurosaki."

"He looks like his sisters." The man said, eyeing Ichigo with a little suspicion. "I will let you all pass, but be warned, Sir Ichigo: In this town there be vagrants and bullies who will not like the way you look."

"What do you mean by that?" Ichigo sneered, with a frown plastered on his face. "I am just a mere boy who will do what the authorities of this town command me to do."

"Make no mistake." The man said. "There are dangerous beings afoot near here. Be vigilant in all you do, and remember to keep your distance from suspicious persons."

"Will do sir!" Isshin said while nudging Ichigo to enter the town first as Isshin guided Kon while Karin and Yuzu still rode him.

The man stepped aside and opened the door for the family. Ichigo's weapons and armor was well hidden inside blankets and packs that Ichigo and his family made. The mark of Shirosaki was also hidden on Kon. No one could know who Ichigo was, and where he had lived prior.

"Ichigo, the way to our home may not be the best of the town." Isshin said quietly to his son. "It is filled with violent, hateful people, prostitutes, and graffiti artists, and it is not something I want your sisters to get involved in. I know Karin might be affiliated with some dangerous people, but I know she will do the right thing. What I need you to do is to protect Yuzu from the vices that this part of town has to offer her."

"Alright." Ichigo replied. "We're going to go straight home, and nowhere else."

"Good, good." Isshin then smiled to his son. "I'll leave you in charge then! Your sisters know the way home, so it shouldn't be any trouble. I will leave you now, and see you later!"

Isshin turned to leave, but Ichigo grabbed his collar.

"Where do you think you're going?" Ichigo asked, while being irritated that in his first night in town Isshin would go off doing something else. "If you want the girls to be protected, then why don't you come with us?"

"I have another piece of business to take care of." Isshin smiled wickedly.

"Like what?" Ichigo demanded.

"None of your business!" Isshin pushed Ichigo away and turned sharply, walking quickly away from his family.

"Hey come back here!" Ichigo yelled, but his father would not listen to him, so Ichigo turned to his sisters. "Where is he going?"

"Probably to a strip club or to hire a prostitute." Karin said with little interest in what her father would be doing.

"For real?" Ichigo groaned. "Is he serious? He would do such things the day after the anniversary?"

"Why not?" Karin asked her brother. "People do it all the time. Its how sex trade workers get paid in this town."

"Karin, you should not speak like that about our father!" Yuzu complained. "At least we have Ichigo to protect us!"

Yuzu looked to her brother fondly.

"Alright let's go home then." Ichigo said, patting Kon on the neck, getting a neigh in response.

Karin guided Kon towards the Kurosaki residence. Karin and Yuzu made sure they would not catch anyone's eye that they passed, and Ichigo followed suit. Ichigo could hear fights that went on between Johns and customers about payment for a hooker's services. They could also hear the sounds of battle echoing off the walls of buildings as rival gangs fought each other. Ichigo ignored advances by prostitutes as they tried to get him to look at him. Then, a brave young girl stepped into Kon's path, not letting him pass. Ichigo stroked the horse's head, and went to speak with the prostitute.

"Hey, bud." The girl with red hair and too much makeup said. "You look new here. Maybe you want some entertainment for tonight?"

The girl winked suggestively as she bent a little lower to give Ichigo a view of her ample cleavage. She was wearing a really thin, short dress which had been torn on one half of it. The dress barely clung to her thin frame. Ichigo looked at the girl with pity, but he knew what to say to people like this.

"I'm not interested." Ichigo replied. "Now get out of the way, and let us pass."

"No." The prostitute replied playfully, smiling dazzlingly to get him to give in. "I want you. You're so sexy; I might service you for free. What do you say about that?"

Ichigo ignored her, and grabbed Kon's reigns. He pulled the horse to go past the girl. She grabbed the back of Ichigo's sleeve, turning him around to face her.

"You can't just ignore me!" She cried anxiously. "I have a quota to fill! I need the money!"

"What do you need the money for?" Ichigo asked. "Drugs? Better clothes? More make-up? Payment to your pimp?"

"How dare you!" She sneered angrily now. "You know nothing about me or about why I'm in this business!"

Ichigo grabbed her by the shoulders, but did not do anything to harm her. He looked into her eyes.

"Listen." Ichigo said. "Me and my family have been travelling for most of the day. We're tired, and we want to get some rest. If you need money, here, take this."

Ichigo took a pouch that was tied to his belt. It was his last bag of gold stolen from Shirosaki's Monastery. He took her hands and placed it there. She lowered her head, and threw the gold back into Ichigo's chest.

"Do you think I want your charity?" She cried bitterly, with tears starting streaming down her face, ruining her carefully painted face. "I'm not so pathetic that I need you to help me!"

"I'm sorry." Ichigo said, tenderly. "I don't mean to offend you, but I'm not that kind of guy. Maybe when the old man comes back I will tell him to see you. What's your name?"

Suddenly a huge hand grabbed Ichigo by his collar, making him look at the man who had grabbed him.

"This whore here," The man said pointing to the girl who was trying to compose herself. "Her name is Chizuru, the Wildcat! She's unlike anything you've ever seen before in bed. Now why would an orange haired punk like you want to make a looker like her cry?"

"I'm sorry, she was hustling us," Ichigo replied as the man let go of his collar. "We just want to go home."

"Well, you know how long I've been watching you two?" The man said. "You've been taking up her time as if you own her. Do you own her punk? I don't think so. Her time is my money. So what's it going to be, punk? You gonna pay for the time you took? Or are you going to make us take it from you?"

Ichigo could see from the corner of his eyes pimps of every size coming out of the shadows, as the hookers sunk deeper into the darkness so not to be seen. They had weapons of every make, probably stolen from the soldiers that wielded them, or traded for the services of the hookers that lined the way.

"I'm sorry." Ichigo cleared his throat nervously.

Eighteen men surrounded him. Four had spears and came up behind him. Two had broadswords, and they both came from either side. Three men came to Kon, who neighed in resistance as they took his reigns. Karin cried out as she was pulled from the horse. Yuzu was next to cry out as someone pulled her braided hair, and pulled her away from Kon. The pimps sent Kon on his way and without looking back, Ichigo's beast of burden left the three siblings to fend for themselves. Ichigo had tied his belongings to Kon when they were entering the town, including his armor and every last piece of weaponry he had taken from Shirosaki's Monastery. Even the huge cleaver (Zangetsu) that Zang had given him was gone as the horse left.

Ichigo's shoulders fell as he assessed their situation. Two men held Yuzu and Karin. Karin stomped on her captor's foot, making him cry out. He punched the girl in the face. Ichigo glared daggers at him, but said nothing as the man tripped Karin, and placed his dirty boot on Karin's head. She yelled obscenities, but the man ground his foot into her face. She bit her lower lip as she clenched her eyes shut, trying to will the tears to stop from coming. This reminded Ichigo of his encounter with the three men that had taken place ten years ago. Chizuru's pimp was the main antagonist, and was ever present.

"So boy," he said, "Where's my money?"

"I'm sorry." Ichigo said apologetically. "I have nothing to give you."

"What's this?" The man bent down and picked up the sack on gold Ichigo had given to Chizuru. "You were going to pay my broad with this?"

"Yeah." Ichigo said. "I think she deserves it. You should give it to her. Now."

"Oh," The man looked at his fellow pimps as they snickered at Ichigo. "She didn't tell you why she's in this business. Hey bitch! Tell him why you work for me!"

Chizuru looked away, not daring to look at Ichigo or her pimp.

"Hey bitch, I'm talking to you!" The man slapped her in the face, and then grabbed her hair, making her look at Ichigo's face. "Tell him why you fuck ugly, disgusting, rich bastards. Tell him everything!"

"For my girlfriend!" Chizuru said, and the man let her go and started laughing.

"Isn't that something?" The pimp said to Ichigo, nudging him in the ribs. "We have a gay cunt in our midst! Do you know what people have done to queers and Lesbos like her? They stone them! Gut them like fish and drag them through the streets for the unnatural tendencies."

"You cannot help being born a certain way." Ichigo said, taking a deep breath. "You cannot help some things that happen in life, so I don't think-"

"Fuck what you think ass hat." The pimp said, obtaining snickers from his compatriots. "You should talk, you with your orange head. Who the fuck did your father fuck: An orangutan?"

Ichigo breathed deeply again. These men laughed, and made Ichigo's sisters cry out in pain as they did something to them.

"Hey boss!" One of the pimps said. "The horse carried away a huge sword! It was covered in white cloth!"

"Hey, like…" Another said. "Like that fuck Akutabi Gamma carries, or carried when he was alive."

"Do you know who these clowns are talking about?" The main pimp asked Ichigo. "Do you know who this Gamma is? He came to this town a while ago. He was heavily wounded from a fight. Apparently he was ordered to follow these two men. He found one of them, and killed him, but his quarry didn't go out without a fight. Yo, Yuki!"

The man called to one of his workers.

"Get me the coat Gamma traded for a fuck from you!" The pimp ordered.

Dread filled Ichigo as he looked helplessly to his sisters. Karin was in the worst position, but Yuzu's arm was being held behind her in such a way that it caused her pain. He looked to the girl the pimp had been talking to, and Ichigo's eyes widened as his heart sunk.

The hooker was carrying a blood soaked coat, which was long and black, and torn at the bottom.

It was Zang's.

Ichigo did not know the circumstance that Gamma had found his mentor. He did not know if Senna's family members were still alive, but he knew one thing at that particular moment.

All that mattered now…

…was the fight.

"Boss, let's just leave the boy alone." Chizuru said to her pimp, pleadingly wanting him to leave Ichigo and his family alone.

"What did you say bitch?" The pimp got ready to slap Chizuru again when he heard one loud snapping sound at the end of another and cries from men.

The pimp looked back and he just gaped at what he saw. In a split second, Ichigo had disarmed the two men with broadswords, breaking one or both of their arms in several places and they were now lying on the floor, writhing in pain. The spears that had been pointing to him were now headless, and did not really pose a threat. At that particular moment Ichigo's right leg had connected with one of the spear users heads in a turning kick. The three other spear users dropped their useless weapons and started unsheathing their swords. Ichigo worked swiftly, and kicked one square in the chest while slamming the dull edges of the swords he now used into the chest of another man. Two men now stood before him armed with swords. They looked to each other and nodded. They attacked Ichigo, who was quite skilled in blocking their swords. They also attacked him using different sword styles so Ichigo had no choice but to readjust his blockings and swings. Yuzu cried out as a blade was placed against her neck. Now knowing the full situation that he was in, Ichigo made short work of the two men he had been toying with. He swiftly broke their defenses and slashed open their arms and legs, making blood spew out in all directions. Flesh, sinew, blood and the innards of the men sloshed ungracefully around Ichigo. Some landed on his white shirt, making it now red. He looked at the twelve men that stood before him as his two former opponents tried crawling away.

"You got lucky this time, but now you face my best men." The pimp said. "If you want to see your sisters again, you best do what I say. They aren't too young to work are they? I don't know you tell me! The one with the braid is the most attractive. I can't wait to taste her."

The pimp walked forward, going to make good what he had said.

THUNK!!

One spear head was now embedded in the man who held Yuzu's forearm. It was the same arm he held the knife, and so he dropped it while screaming, and let go of Yuzu, who walked away backwards from the men quite frightened. The man who was stepping on Karin drew his sword and pointed the blade at Karin's neck, squishing her face into the dirt as he tried to put his point across to Ichigo.

"Fuck this shit!" The man who had let go of Yuzu said, and ran away, forgetting the calls from the other pimps to remain.

"There are still more of us than you." Chizuru's pimp said defiantly. "We can kick your orange ass, you miserable little punk!"

"You know the man who killed Gamma?" Ichigo asked the men.

"What about him?" The main pimp said. "Gamma's dead; I watched him die from his wounds as he was healing in the Kurosaki Clinic."

"The man who killed Gamma was my teacher!" Ichigo said proudly. "He taught me how to fight, so if you plan on living through another day, maybe you should all let go of my sister, and go along doing whatever it is you do during the day."

"You think we're all just going to let you go?" The pimp said. "All of us know who your sisters are. Sometimes fights break out, and we need a place to get better. The Kurosaki Clinic is the place to go to if you can't spend the money to get into the Ishida place. We know where your sisters live. We know your old man. It would be a shame for us to lose him, but when push comes to shove, we can kill them all. We can get weapons and shit, and burn your stupid clinic down, killing every last motherfucker in there. Is that what you want? Then you best kill every last motherfucking one of us right now. Do you know who runs the streets nowadays, punk? His name is Toriyama. He's the mob boss of these parts. He controls the drug cartel here. He owns this town. Mayuri and his men made it tough for Mr. T, but now, the Ishida's are too wrapped up in their own business to even lay a finger on him. If we tell him you're a threat, you and your neighbors' dog will be killed. You all will be gutted from head to dick. You think you can let us go, you got another thing coming."

"Where can I find this 'Toriyama'?" Ichigo asked.

"Hey look at this guy!" The pimp said to the others, and they laughed nervously. "Mr. Macho Orange Killer wants a piece of Mr. T. Now that's funny."

Ichigo had heard enough. He ran forward, much to the surprise of the men who stood in his way. The man who was stepping on Karin did not even have a chance. The sword stabbed him in the stomach, and disemboweled him. Steaming guts split onto the ground as Ichigo forced the man back, off his sister. Ichigo grabbed Karin, and made sure she did not see the end that had befallen her captor. Ichigo saw Yuzu as two men came up from behind her. They would have used her, but Ichigo moved fast, dropping both broadswords as he slipped in between them, grabbing Yuzu. He turned his back to the men, running down the street. However, getting away was not easy. The men started throwing things from rocks to knives. Two knives slammed into Ichigo, but as they hit him, he bent himself in such a way that the knives would not pierce right through. He let go of his sisters and told them to run as fast as they could without looking back. He stood and gazed at the men that ran up to him, weapons drawn. Ichigo's fist collided with one man's face, breaking his jaw, rendering him unable to continue fighting as Ichigo grabbed the katana he was going to use on Ichigo. Ichigo used the weapon and blocked the attacks that came his way. His boots had metal tips, so he also used well placed kicks to stop attacks from hurting him.

**Author's Note: **As I am writing this, a song is being played on the radio: Life is a mystery everyone must stand alone…

He grimaced as his arms and legs were cut up, leaking blood. He was stabbed a few times but moved fast enough so that it would not be fatal. He sliced open the back of one man's legs, and stabbed upward at someone else, stepping on the fallen man to disarm him at the same time. Ichigo used a method of stabbing that he had learned that meant that no matter how the person blocked, the sword would still stab the person. The person cried out as the blade ruptured their ribs, and exited their back. Two men attacked Ichigo at once from different angles. The two men came, pushing the other wounded man out of the way. Ichigo fell back defenseless, and put his hands on the ground, and started kicking in circles, like a helicopter (Think of it as a break dancing move). The men cut at his leg, but he kicked out, making them back off as he got to his feet. He picked up the sword the person he stabbed was using and started using it to defend himself. He crossed swords with the first man, and then moved out the way as the second man stabbed, but caught his comrade's hand in the process. Ichigo punched the second man three times in the throat in a split second. He gargled as he tried breathing again. He fell to the ground, suffocating as his throat would not open to let him breathe. The other man swung at Ichigo, and Ichigo slid the sword down to the hilt, and grabbed the man's hand, and started using the man as a shield, moving so that his back was to the man's back. Chizuru's pimp stabbed the man in the chest, trying to get Ichigo. Ichigo used two swords and decapitated the Chizuru's pimp with a scissors motion (one sword on one side crossing the other sword which goes the way on the other side). Upon seeing their leader fleeing, the other men looked at each other and ran off. Ichigo pounced on one man, and stabbed him with the sword in the shoulder.

"Where does Toriyama do business?" Ichigo yelled at the man. "Tell me, or I will break every last bone in your body until you tell me."

Ichigo grabbed the man's hand, and pressed a finger backwards, breaking it. The man cried out as Ichigo did it again. Ichigo stabbed the man's other arm so that he could not move his other arm. Ichigo slapped the man, making him stay conscious.

"Where is Toriyama?"Ichigo asked again more forcefully. "Tell me, and I will help you."

Chizuru took the blood stained coat from the other hooker and walked up to Ichigo who was busy interrogating the only man left conscious, or alive. Chizuru draped him in the black coat as he punched the man hard enough to knock him out cold. Ichigo got up and looked at Chizuru, who could only watch the blood drip from her pimp's lifeless body.

"What are you going to do now?" Ichigo asked her, and she gave him a dubious look.

"You took away our protection." Now the Johns will have no excuse to rape and hurt the workers in this Red District of Karakura Town. You think one bag of gold is going to do anything for all of us? I'm sorry but it won't work."

"You're still taking the bag of gold, aren't you?" Ichigo asked her.

"I have no choice." Chizuru said, looking away from the man who just killed her pimp. "My lover's health is in jeopardy. The only ones who can treat her are at the Ishida Hospital in the richer part of town. The only way you get treatment is if you can afford it. With this money, my lover will finally get the treatment she needs."

"Then leave this place, and get your lover the help she needs." Ichigo encouraged her. "You have obviously lived a hard life."

"It's not over." Chizuru said bitterly. "You killed one asshole, but there's going to be another person like him to take his place. These girls rely on their pimps to take care of them. Without them, they will be abused. When my partner goes to the hospital, I'll have to come back here and work for a while so that the treatment can continue. That's my life, and you can't do anything to stop it."

"I know where this Toriyama character is." Ichigo told Chizuru. "I'm going to go see him, and possibly make him stop the prostitution from happening in this town."

"You're insane if you think he will listen to anything you say." Chizuru warned. "He's just like my pimp. He will fight you in order to prove his power."

An old woman poked her head out from one of the buildings' windows. Yuzu and Karin peeped out the same window. Ichigo looked up to the three of them as his sisters waved to him. Apparently the old woman had been a customer of the Kurosaki Clinic, so she protected the girls while Ichigo fought the pimps. Ichigo waved back, as Chizuru walked away from Ichigo, obtaining the bag of gold, and headed to her residence where her girlfriend was.

Ichigo spoke to the old woman for a long time when he went up to see her and his sisters.

"It's not going to be safe for your family." The old woman said. "Leave your sisters here with me, and I will make sure they will get to their school safely every day until things die down. Those bad men will come after you and the girls, so you should not leave your house unless you really need to.

"Thanks Granny." Ichigo said to the old woman. "I'm glad Yuzu and Karin will be well taken care of. If you need me for anything, I'll be at the Kurosaki Clinic."

He said good-bye to his sisters. Yuzu wept as she hugged him after seeing all of his wounds.

"Thanks, Ichigo." Karin said, averting her eyes so Ichigo could not see the tears that threatened to spill from them. "You saved us."

"When I get my hands on the old man," Ichigo seethed, "He will pay dearly for abandoning us so that the pimps could attack us!"

Karin smiled at the thought of Ichigo hurting her father. She did love her father, but there were times where she thought that someone else would be better suited for the job. Ichigo left the old woman's house, and looked for Kon. Ichigo walked the streets, which were dark by this time, since it was night. Torches and lanterns were lit to illuminate the streets for the people who were out at this hour. Then Ichigo heard it: The sound of a mule neighing in protest as a horse neighed. Ichigo rounded the corner, and much to his disgust, found his horse and his and his family's belongings. Everything had been thrown off the horse's back. It had mounted a mule and was humping the mule. Ichigo quickly grabbed the reigns and pulled the horse until it got off the mule. The mule walked a few feet away, shaking its head. Ichigo went to claim the things that were on the floor, and got up only to see his horse chasing after the mule. Ichigo caught up with Kon and pulled hard on the reigns. He wondered through the streets for a long time, but after asking a few loiters, he found the Kurosaki Clinic. It was closed, and there was a note hammered to the sign, saying that the Clinic had been closed for a few days, and gave an apology for the loss of life that might have been suffered. Ichigo guided the horse into the backyard. Using a key Karin gave him he opened the gate towards the backyard, and led Kon there. There was a shed in the back, which was big enough to house a horse, but it was cluttered with things that the family had accumulated. After twenty minutes of moving things around, Ichigo finally was able to tie Kon up to one of the shed's beams so that it could not get away. Ichigo took out a sack of grain he had purchased a few weeks ago and tied it to Kon's head so the animal could eat. Ichigo spotted a well inside the yard, as well as many plants that were neatly planted row on row. Ichigo took a bucket and got some water from the well, and untied the bucket from the rope which was used to obtain the water. He lit a lantern with a match from the shed. Ichigo turned and walked up a few steps towards the back door of the Clinic. He entered the Clinic using another one of Karin's keys, and found himself in a small kitchen. He opened doors and cupboards until he found food. He ate until he was satisfied, but not overly full. He had work to do. He entered the Clinic and found bandages; The Clinic was separated into two parts: a pharmacy that sold medication, bandages, ointment, and other medical things as well as food stuffs. The second part was filled with beds, which would be used for the sick or injured to recover in. Ichigo took a few bandages and dressed his wounds. It stung a bit, but with ointment and the water he was well patched up. He went back into the kitchen, and spotted two doors. One door was a stairwell, leading upstairs towards what Ichigo presumed was the girls' and his father's bedrooms. The second door led to a cellar beneath the building. Ichigo went down the stairs and placed every weapon he had on a table that had been cleared away. There were meats, and food being stored, as well as equipment for gardening. Ichigo took off his clothes and began suiting up. Those people he had fought earlier would be out for him. That meant that he had to get to them before they had a chance to find him. He formulated a plan and took what weaponry he needed. It would be one hell of a night.

**

* * *

**

The steam billowed off the water's surface, which had been covered with cherry-blossom and rose petals. Two small fires heated up the massive tub, which would bathe three or four people. However, it was late at night, and this was one of the rare occasions Orihime could immerse herself in relaxation. Her hair was tied up in a braid which she wrapped around her neck. Servants stood outside, while her female handmaidens helped her undress. She had only worn a white robe, slippers, and undergarments. The clothes were folded neatly on a bench, next to the door, where the handmaidens stood awaiting further orders. Orihime would have liked the servants to either join her or GTFO, but they followed their orders seriously and waited. The servants knew what happened to disobedient servants if they should anger Aizen especially. The bathroom was filled with candles and incense, which was burned to give off a delightful smell. Orihime walked up three steps which led to the tub. She tested the water with her foot. The water was warm, but not boiling. She slowly stepped into the water, and immersed her body in the tub. Orihime sat on a seat at the opposite side of the tub so she could look to her servants. She closed her eyes as she let her body soak in the water. The steam felt good on her skin. The smells of the water and candles made her senses run wild. There was one smell in particular that she could not get out of her head. Orihime had gone to a mixed school filled with noble boys and girls. Of course she had silly little crushes on some boys, but nothing stuck. She had to do her duty, and that was to her king. (No sex, don't worry). After the vision of the man who had held her, though, she could not get the smell or the warm feeling out of her head. Gently she stroked her chest just above her breasts, letting water cascade down. She let her imagination run wild. She wanted to see Yoruichi again to try and have another vision of her one true love. She longed to feel his touch, and to see his face. She had not seen his face. She wondered if he was a Prince, maybe from Essess. Would their marriage mean the peaceful union of their two countries? What if he was a peasant; how would Aizen see their relationship after setting her up with suitor after suitor who kept failing to measure up to Orihime's expectations? What if he was something entirely different, like a hairdresser? Orihime did not really mind hairdressers, but rather wanted someone a bit more appealing, like a knight perhaps. Suddenly, the doors to the bathroom opened. In walked the General of Aizen's army, Tia Harribel.

"Good Evening, Princess." Harribel bowed before Orihime. "May I join you?"

"Yes, please come in!" Orihime said, reluctantly, but made sure she did not show it.

The tanned, blond woman had her own servants to undress her. She walked into the tub much like how Orihime had, and slipped into a seat that was to the right of Orihime but on the opposite side. Harribel sighed after dipping her whole head and body under water. Her hair was completely soaked now, and she wanted it like that. She closed her eyes for a few minutes.

"Umm," Orihime cleared her throat, embarrassed at what she was going to say. "I know this might come across as odd, and you don't have to answer if you don't want to…"

Orihime trailed off.

"Speak whatever is on your mind, Princess." Harribel said. "This will be your kingdom, and I will be one of your Generals if Aizen abdicates, so you can tell me or ask anything."

"But this isn't an order for you to follow." Orihime said, "It has to do with your personal life."

"Then girl-to-girl, what do you want to know?" Harribel asked.

"Rather recently," Orihime began. "I went to see the sorceress Yoruichi Shihoin, and she let me see, or at least feel the presence of the person I would fall in love with, possibly even marry. Now, I don't have that much experience with having romantic relationships of any kind with anyone else, so I was wondering if you can tell me what to expect when I meet him."

"With all those seers out there," Harribel started."They can change the future and disrupt time itself. That means that the future is constantly changing. You might see a vision once, and fully believe in it, but some things might not happen, or might be forced to happen. However, some things seers see cannot be changed. They could only be reacted upon. Ten years ago, two meteors fell from the sky. Your brother went to investigate one of them, but found nothing but soldiers and scientists from Essess. There is speculation, but someone could have seen the future, and were able to locate the meteor better than any of us. The second meteor destroyed a whole town. The people of Essess went to that town and obtained the rare metals from the sky, which they have used in battle against us. Perhaps they too had a seer who knew about the rocks. I don't know. As for romance, everyone wants that person who will be there for them and love them for who they are, regardless of their faults. But you must know that relationships take work, and sacrifice on both parts. One may let go of their prior lives and choose to be with the one they love, giving up even ties to other family members. Although you have the one you love, you will still feel lonely because you cannot see friends and family who were a part of your life. You will face hardship and heartache in your life. We all do, but you are truly strong if you do not break. You have been educated by the best professors and teachers Hueco Mundo had to offer. You are friends with the richest families, and even the poor people respect you, fair Princess. Would you give it all up for just one man, especially when this is a time of war where death could befall him or you at any time? Relationships can last a long time, but there are those that do not last. To maintain peace in our two kingdoms, you might have to be required to marry the Crown Prince of Essess, and let go of the person you truly want to be with. Love might be a luxury for you, and not a right. You must think greatly on these things, because the end of the war might be near."

Orihime was silent as she took it all in. She bit her lower lip in contemplation. She always knew that duty came before pleasure, and followed her orders to a tee. However, she longed to be in the arms that had held her in the vision so tenderly. She wanted to feel his breath on her neck once again, and the smell he emitted. The smell was not a fart, not bad breath, and not the disgusting smells the human body emits, but it could be pheromones which riled up her senses. But what if Aizen did not want her to be with that man, and would see to it that they would never be together? Would Orihime betray her father and king or would she follow him to whatever end befell him? The more Orihime thought about it, the more it did not make sense. It was Aizen that started the war. It was Aizen who betrayed the people of Essess and brought her to Hueco Mundo. What did he want? What was he planning? Where did Orihime's love and loyalty fall? Where did her feelings tell her to go or what to do? Orihime's chest hurt as she thought of these things.

"General Harribel." Orihime said. "You had to fight many battles in this war. That means you had to sacrifice time with family and friends. What happens to your relationship with the one you love if you put duty before pleasure and the things you really want to do?"

"My partner and I," Harribel chose her words carefully, "Have a mutual understanding. They will wait for me, and I will not seek the flesh of another while away from them. They miss me, and I them. We send letters back and forth, when we are able to, when it is not going to jeopardize my army's location. I try hard not to bring my job home with me so that my family does not know what I go through, seeing men and women I serve with for years suddenly are torn to bits by the battle-hardened warriors of Essess. But, I can't always be strong. I have to be brave enough to let my true feelings out with someone I do trust. The two Generals I confide in are Generals Schiffer and Coyote. I do not tell anything about battles fought to my partner, because I don't want them to worry. They worry as much as it is when we were fighting with Essess, but they know that I have drawn a line. They may not like that I keep things from them, but it is for their protection. I'm willing to put my life on the line to do what I have to. Sometimes, though, I have to order others to do the same, willing or unwilling. To answer your question better, its best to say that our relationship is strained, but it survives nonetheless."

Orihime took this all in. Harribel had been General for ten years. There was no higher ranking officer besides King Aizen, and perhaps Ichimaru and Kaname, but she was one of the best. She outranked most of the Generals, and this spoke to people. Women could obtain positions of power, and have a great effect in the world. Tales of the battles would be written down in history books, so that generations to follow will learn from the mistakes made, or stand in awe of what Harribel accomplished during her time, with the technology that was available. Orihime and Harribel sat in silence, enjoying the water until Orihime found that her fingers and toes were wrinkled, like prunes (Is that the term?). She thanked the General, who remained in the tub, and she left the bathroom, after being wiped dry by her servants, and clothed. She visited the room which was a shrine to her older brother, and prayed for his soul. She had not known any of the women in Sora's life. She had not met any of them, so she could only guess as to who he thought his lover would be. Next, she went to her room, relieved her handmaidens, and wrote a few pages in her diary after combing her hair. She got into bed, and blew out the lantern that had been lit by one of the servants. She drifted into deep sleep, and dreamed of heroes and legends, and the man who she would fall in love with…

Even from the brief moment in her vision, Orihime could say that she was already in love with the man…Or was it lust after feeling his body close to hers, and the smell that came from him?

In the meantime, Harribel climbed out of the tub, and her servants wiped her dry, and clothed her. She could not say who her partner was to the Princess. If Aizen found out, let alone the other Generals, then she might have to stop being a General…For her partner was another woman. Harribel knew that Orihime was attractive, but like she said, she was only faithful to her beloved. She is not a pervert.

**

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**

Kon whinnied as Ichigo Kurosaki urged him forward. Ichigo wore every piece of his armor, and was armed quite extensively. He knew where Toriyama was, and was heading right there. His white mask gleamed in the moonlight, which vanished as clouds rolled in, covering the moon for a moment, and then the clouds parted again. This town had been through much. From what people said, there had been a battle. Many had left the town thereafter, so there were now empty houses lining the streets. The streets were lit with huge lanterns, allowing Ichigo to see where he was going. He rode his horse swiftly until he saw the massive building that he was approaching. Part of the town was at a lower level. The poorer sections were at the lowest levels, while the richest people of the town including the Ishidas lived in the higher part of town. Toriyama's place of business was in sight, and was lit all throughout. It seemed that the Crime Boss was having a party, celebrating his leadership over the town. Many people said the Ishidas were in control of the town, since they were in control over the hospital and had their base in Mayuri Kurotsuchi's place. Ichigo's family was in danger, so he would not stop. Two guards were at the gate, and Ichigo leapt off Kon, and did not care where the beast went. Ichigo ran swiftly, with a black shield on his back with the huge black cleaver, and spear in his hand. The guards looked at him, and reacted, slowly. They brought up their own spears to stab Ichigo, but he leapt onto both spears, and slammed the spear down on one of their heads, knocking him unconscious. Ichigo fell to the ground, and tripped the second man, climbing on top of him, and punching him out cold. Ichigo took the keys from one of their belts, and opened the gates. Toriyama might have been told about what happened in the Red District of town, but he would not be prepared for what was to happen next…

_**GoldDragon08: **_Hop in your Dump Truck, Reverse for Good Luck, Die Tragedy, Die Tragedy, Take on the Whole World, Fight with the Young Girls, Try Honesty, Try Honesty!! LOL that's not how the song goes, but you get what I mean…I hope.


	10. Chapter 10

**Knight of Karakura Town: Chapter Ten**

_**GoldDragon08: **_There is a 10 Degree Black-Belt named Fred Villaris, and he can punch 18 times per second! He owns a chain of Martial Arts studios in the US, Canada, and other countries across the world! My brother is a going for his purple belt in Villaris' Shoalin Kung Fu Studio in Canada! Chuck Norris is only a 7 Degree Black-Belt, so Villaris is a bit more skilled than Norris, but I can't say who would win in a fight! I can only do motherfucking three punches in a second if I punch my fastest! I am a Yellow-Belt in Rising Sun Tae Kwon Do, run by Cees Kuekens, a two time Tae Kwon Do champion and he has met Jackie Chan! He used to have a picture of him and Chan, but I don't know what he did with it since we moved from studio to studio! Kueken's old and lazy, so it doesn't matter how many degrees he has in Black-Belt, my brother can kill us both. That's how better Villaris' Kung Fu is than Kueken's Tae Kwon Do at least. :D With the rigorous training Ichigo got in this story, I'm going to say he can do ten punches per second, to be fair. Now that is motherfucking bad-ass, son.

Uryu Ishida had tracked down every lead, asked as many people as he could about the whereabouts of Sado Yasutora. Some people did not want to talk, so Uryu either bribed them or threatened them with a sanction, where they would be formally punished, but not killed. There were many houses that were abandoned by the families that had left with Shusuke Amagai. The town's population was drastically cut, and many jobs were needed to be filled to keep the town alive. Uryu hired whatever men and women he could to help in the search. Ever faithful was his butler Cloud, who stayed by his side, carrying whatever his master needed. Tatsuki Arisawa joined in the search for her boyfriend. Finally, Uryu was able to pinpoint the whereabouts of his ailing friend. The gangster Toriyama had kidnapped him to further his goals of total domination of the town. Mayuri Kurotsuchi had tolerated the drugs, gang fights, and prostitution rings that ran rampant in the town. If something ever befell one of the innocent citizens of the town, Mayuri would overlook it. The gangs were left to flourish. When Amagai attacked, many men had either died or were bought by Amagai. This made Toriyama's competition grow so small that they had no choice but to combine forces with Toriyama's gang, and give up all of their assets. Being Karakura Town's strongest man, Sado could be either a great asset for the gang, or a formidable enemy. The problem was that Sado had morals, and could not be bought. To top it off, he was involved with the strongest woman of Karakura Town, Tatsuki, who also had a code of honor. Without the strongest man, Toriyama had thought that Uryu's forces would turn their backs on the Ishidas, and join Toriyama. He had thought everything would be smooth sailing from then on…but it was not so.

Uryu, Tatsuki, and Cloud rode their horses as fast as they could with the men and women who followed them to the gates of Toriyama's place of business, passing screaming party goers who lined the streets too drunk to do anything, but also too traumatized at what happened. Some were wounded, while others were covered in blood. When Uryu and his people got there, they could not see anything, because the lights were all out. Uryu dismounted off his horse, followed closely by Tatsuki, who had her own katana unsheathed and ready for battle. Uryu went up to the gates, and saw two bodies tied up on the ground. He checked their vital signs. They were out cold, and had heavy bruising to their heads. The gates were wide open. He signaled for his soldiers to follow him. They lit a few torches, and Uryu ordered them to surround the building. Uryu and Tatsuki cautiously went up the stairs to the entrance of the building, which was also wide open. Bodies lay in a heap. Uryu could smell blood, and he put a handkerchief to his face to block out the smell. He heard groans coming from the heap of bodies, and he signaled for some soldiers to come in. They lit lanterns and torches that were throughout the building. They pulled the bodies away from each other. Most were unconscious, but they were alive. Several had gone into shock from their wounds, and needed care right away, so Uryu ordered several of his men to get the horses and sent them to the nearest health clinic, be it Kurosaki Clinic, or other. Uryu and Tatsuki entered the banquet hall, where most of the guests had been. The signs of struggle were everywhere, and blood could be seen on the walls, on the furniture, and even the floor. Uryu had his bow up, and arrow drawn, aiming carefully to see if anything moved. Uryu walked a few steps, and then it hit him: The stench of rotting bodies. A soldier came in with a torch, and the three of them saw clearly: The leaders of the gangs were all dead, including Toriyama. His guards were unconscious though. Uryu slapped one awake. The man widened his eyes when he saw who had slapped him.

"Stay away from me!" The man said, struggling with Uryu, who punched the man hard in the stomach.

"I want answers." Uryu said. "Where is Sado Yasutora?"

"I don't know!" The man cried. "He took him! He took him! He was tied up and gagged, although he was heavily poisoned. He was right beside Lord Toriyama's throne, and Mr. T kept poking him to make him stay awake! It was funny, everyone laughed! And then _he_ came! I didn't know what it was at first. I heard people yelling, and everyone got up when he burst into here! We tried to stop him, but he was like a one man army! He was too fast! He was wearing strange armor and a white mask! I don't know what he is, but he's a monster! He killed my master! He killed them all!"

"Son of a bitch!" Uryu cursed, realizing that Sado once again slipped through his hands.

"Can you describe the man?" Tatsuki said. "What else about him can you say?"

"He beat the shit out of everyone using a spear, only a spear." The man said. "He killed people with a shield, and the spear. I don't know what else he did, but there was something on his back, but he never used it."

"What was on his back?" Uryu asked. "What was he not using?"

"A huge sword!" The man replied. "I never seen anything like that it all my life! It must have weighed a ton, but he moved as if it was nothing! The shield was metal, but he blocked our attacks with it as if it was paper! He's very strong! Very fucking strong!"

"Was there anything on him to show who he was?" Uryu pressed. "Any painting, or any mark?"

"The mask said it all!" The man said. "It was pure white, like bone, except it shone like metal! There were black stripes on it!"

Tatsuki got to her feet, eyes wide. She grabbed Uryu, and pulled him up.

"What is it?" Uryu asked her.

"Shiro-" Tatsuki was cut off as a huge explosion echoed from outside.

Uryu raced to the window. Beyond the town walls, someone had caused an explosion. The smell of opiates and other drugs filled Uryu's nostrils.

"Good god." Uryu said shock evident on his face. "This man is burning the drugs that Toriyama had!"

Uryu left Tatsuki and raced outside and ordered his soldiers to search the building. While he was outside, a messenger rode up to him on a horse.

"Uryu Ishida!" The messenger said. "I have news from your father!"

"About what?" Uryu demanded clearly not interested.

"Chad Yasutora." The messenger said. "Someone left a note with Chad Yasutora, saying that the person could not treat the poison running in Chad's veins-"

Uryu cut him off, confused.

"Who the hell is Chad?"

**

* * *

**

Aizen sat at his desk. He had gone through paper work that had been given to him to do, and finished it all. He sat at his desk, with a blank look on his face. Most of the servants had retired for the night, but there were still a few up since he was not retired yet. He was in deep thought about the future when someone quietly opened the door to his office. Aizen looked up to see who it was. Loly, one of Orihime's servants walked in a bowed humbly to her king. She quietly closed the door behind her as her friend Menoly spoke to the guards.

"Loly?" Aizen said, surprised that she would come to him at this hour. "Has something wrong happened to the Princess? Does she have problems with the diplomat position I have given her?"

"No, sir." Loly said, standing up straight, "I would simply like to have an audience with my king."

"What is it that you want?" Aizen said, as Loly started advancing closer to him.

She was clearly nervous about something. Aizen could see that she was visibly shaken and became more so as she came closer to Aizen's desk. She walked around the desk until she was a few feet away from Aizen, who turned his chair to look at her. He was curious, but did not know what to expect. Was she going to assassinate him, right there and then? Aizen could not help but feel amused at the young girl's embarrassment. She was wearing a simple white dress, but it allowed Aizen to fully see her cleavage, should he want to even look there, but at this moment, he kept his gaze on her face. She started fumbling with the front of her dress, and her face blushed red.

"I want you." She whispered.

"What?" Aizen could only look at the girl. "Are you serious?"

"I want you!" She said with more conviction.

Without waiting for Aizen to utter another word, she went forward, grabbing his head, and crushing her lips against his. She moaned with pleasure after all those years not getting what she wanted, and then finally finding the courage to do what she was doing. They parted lips briefly.

"You would dare touch your king in such a way?" Aizen said. "If my guards catch you doing this, they will kill you where you stand."

Loly did not answer. Instead, she slipped the straps of her dress off her shoulders, and wiggled out of it. Her breasts jumped out, and she was wearing long cotton socks with a white panty. She straddled Aizen, and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him again, more passionately and filled with need this time. Tears fell down from her eyes, because if this was to be her last night alive, she wanted to let her king know how much he meant to her. He held her gently in his lap, looking into her pink eyes (Not pink eye, pink irises). He stroked her face with his right hand.

"You take care of the Princess very well, Loly." Aizen said smoothly. "Maybe I should give you a reward."

He kissed her, and sucked gently on her lower lip. His tongue gracefully parted her lips, and she let his moist tongue invade the sweet cavern that was her mouth. They massaged each other's tongues, Aizen being the more experienced love-maker getting an excited moan from Loly. He pulled away from her lips, only to start killing her chin, down her jaw-line towards her neck, and started sucking on her smooth skin that was there. He kissed her collarbone, and heard her sigh as her hands roamed his back. Aizen found his clothes to be making him too hot so he picked up Loly off his lap, and set her on his desk. He pulled off his royal robes as quickly as possible, and now stood in boxer shorts. Aizen stroked Loly's face again.

"You've been really patient, haven't you?" Aizen said, smiling gently at her, causing her to blush and look away from him. "I will make your suffering come to an end right now!"

Aizen attacked her body with his lips, kissing her arms, across her chest, fondling her breasts and judged the pleasure he gave her by the sounds she made moaning in ecstasy. He started licking down her chest, trailing down from her breast bone, to her stomach. He passed her covered crotch, and kissed her thighs, going up the legs to massage her toes through her socks. He took one off and massaged her right foot, causing her body to tingle with strange sensations. And then, he brought his face up to hers, and kissed her softly again, and again, and again. She felt her own breasts, and pinched her nipples. After seeing this, Aizen decided to do it for her, kneading her orbs of flesh, and began sucking on her left nipple, biting down softly, but not enough to cause pain. She said his name, his first name Sosuke. He looked up at her in surprise. _I don't remember giving her permission to use my first name._ Aizen thought. He began kissing her breast again with more vigor. He started assaulting her other breast, and abused the nipple, while kneading both breasts. He looked into her eyes as she lay on the desk, pushing away paper work which would be forgotten for now. Surely a servant can pick up the paperwork…

Loly smiled, fully placing her trust into Aizen. He stood and gazed at her lovely form. Her breasts were not as big as let's say Neliel's but it had been enough to make her look like a woman, albeit a young girl barely older than Orihime. Aizen placed his palm on Loly's stomach, and stroked her for a second, until deciding that the time had come. He looked to her face, and she looped a finger into her panty, pulling it down slightly. Aizen got the idea, and used both hands to slip her panty off her, up through her legs. Aizen gently pulled her legs apart, and had the full view of her shaved core. For a second, Aizen thought that it would be like having sex with a child, but dismissed it. She really wanted this. He lowered his head onto her, and started suckling on her folds, while running his finger over her clitoris. Loly blushed as she pulled at her breasts, moaning with each stroke Aizen's tongue and finger made on her. He spit a little into her entrance, and rubbed all over it with his hand. He moved slowly, letting his middle finger grace the entrance but not penetrate it. Loly started moving her hips, as if begging him to do more to her. He could only oblige as he placed his index and middle finger at her entrance, and started moving them in and out of her, with agonizingly slow movements. Loly started moving her hips as fast as she could, but Aizen teased her, only allowing his hand to move into her a certain way. She sat up and grabbed his hand. He pulled it away from her entrance entirely, and pushed her down with the same hand. She lay surprised as he climbed onto the desk. Somehow, he had taken off his boxers without her even realizing it. His manhood stroked her pelvis gently. It was throbbing, and filled with blood. It was hot, and the only thing Loly could think of was the pounding she desperately wanted to get from him. He placed one hand next to her head to hold himself up, while guiding his manhood to her entrance. He let himself stroke the top of her folds, making her squirm with anticipation and pleasure as he punished her clitoris with his cock. He slowly made his way lower until he could feel the wet entrance that was begging his member to enter. Loly pulled her legs up giving him better access, and he started to penetrate her slowly. She gasped, whipping her head back. She gritted her teeth as tears formed in her eyes.

"Give it to me!" She pleaded. "Fuck me senseless!"

_You are already without sense. _Aizen thought, smiling for a different reason that Loly thought.

It was nothing more than another fuck in the night.

They both started moving their hips, him before her, and she gasped louder and louder with every thrust. Aizen started moving in and out of her, going faster and faster until they were vigorously going at it. Loly began crying his name, squeezing her own legs, making them turn red. Her breasts bobbed and moved as Aizen thrust himself into her and out. Sweat beaded on Aizen's forehead. Then, he felt her insides close on him, and she cried out his name once again before climaxing. Aizen felt liquid cascade onto his member, which was still deep within her. She moaned and contracted again, before Aizen could move. He pulled out of her, and surprise was evident on her face. Aizen used a handkerchief to wipe away the sweat from his body. He put on back his robes as Loly watched, disappointed.

"Sosuke…" Loly said quietly.

Aizen turned to look at her. He picked up her dress and threw it at her.

"We cannot transport ourselves in such a way, Loly." Aizen said. "I'm afraid I used you for my own selfish desire. After realizing this, I have decided what the right course of action would be. You are hereby promoted to being my personal servant. You are to not to serve the Princess anymore."

"But what about Menoly?" Loly asked concerned for her decoy who was keeping the guards preoccupied.

"You will speak to her when you have free time." Aizen said. "Other than that, there is nothing I can do unless I hire more staff to help my daughter."

"She isn't your daughter, though!" Loly shot back, losing her temper as Aizen glared at her. "You treat her better than a father should treat his daughter!"

Tears started falling from Loly's eyes as she thought of her own childhood and the abuse she suffered at the hands of her own father. Aizen looked coldly at her as she started sobbing uncontrollably, burying her face in the white dress. Aizen walked to the girl, and placed a warm hand on her shoulder.

"Loly," Aizen said. "You have been loyal to the Princess, and I have never heard her complain about you. For that I commend you. You came here tonight knowing full well the consequences should I have called the guards. You were saved by my own lustful feelings."

"Is that all you feel towards me?! Loly spat in Aizen's face. "Just some easy fuck? I should never have succumbed to whatever feelings I had towards you! You aren't a good king, you are evil! And I will tell everyone about how you used me."

The sword was embedded in Loly's chest before she even registered Aizen had held it. He picked up his paperwork as fast as he could, making sure none of her blood spilt on it. He took a torch from the walls, and threw it under the desk. Loly looked upside down to him, as blood continued pumping out of her.

"Why, Sosuke?" she muttered as her lungs filled with crimson life that should never been there...

"You dare call me by my given name?" Aizen said coldly. "To call me by that name means you are of equal stature. You may tell whoever finds you about what we did, but do not forget: you can never stand beside someone who is but a god."

Aizen walked out of the room, and left the doors open. The desk caught on fire, and the guards looked into the room. Melony's eyes widened and she rushed past Aizen, not daring look at his face as he passed her.

"Sir?" One of the guards said, uncertain as to what had happened and what had to be done.

"Melony is to go back to her quarters." Aizen said. "One of you accompany Loly as she is banished from this palace, if she lives. And when I say accompany her, I mean one of you is fired and also banished. You get to choose who that is for your inability to stop Loly from infiltrating my private office. That is all."

Aizen walked away from the office, whistling a happy tune as he went to his bedroom. He got ready for bed, and looked at his schedule for the upcoming days. He turned out the lights, and slept peacefully. Loly was taken to the infirmary to be healed. The royal doctors saw to it that she was patched up the best they could, in honor of their Princess who needed Loly. However, one of the guards of Aizen interrupted.

"She is no longer in the employ of the Royal Family." The guard said. "Treat her as a gift from Lord Aizen. You did need a test subject did you not?"

The doctors just looked to each other.

"But she's just a girl!" A doctor said. "She hasn't done any ill has she?"

"Me and her formulated a plan to take the king's life." The guard replied. "We failed, and King Aizen has ordered us to be both cast out of Los Noches. She will not live without constant supervision, so end it now. Or I will."

The guard unsheathed his katana and walked forward as the doctors gave him room. Loly had drifted into unconsciousness from her wounds, and did not feel the final stroke that would end her life. The guard took her body and left Los Noches. He found her family, and they buried her in an unmarked grave. And this is how the life of Loly, who had loved Aizen with all her heart, ended.

**

* * *

**

Tatsuki rode with a few men towards a tower overlooking the plains outside the town. She climbed the tower as fast as she could. She made it to the top and used a telescope to see what was happening. The fire was limited to a certain area. She looked with shock at what she saw. A man in black armor was ordering around what seemed to be men from the gang. The men looked on edge, as if they were afraid…

"This man." Tatsuki said to no one in particular. "He saved Sado, and took out every gang boss in town, all in one night! I have to see who this guy is!"

She turned away and ran down to her horse, got settled up, and rode it to the nearest gate out of town. Fifty or so men were needed to open the gates, but apparently, the gates had been left open. Tatsuki rode her horse out through the gates towards the huge bonfire, and the smell of the burning drugs was getting stronger and stronger. The sun began rising in the distance illuminating the faces of the men as Tatsuki got closer to them.

"What's going on here?" Tatsuki asked one of the men.

All of the men looked confused, and began looking around.

"Where the hell is the man with the white mask?" Tatsuki asked the men, who just looked to each other getting more confused.

"He was here a minute ago." One man said, "I don't know where he went."

The other men looked relieved, and started getting relaxed. They started walking back towards the town.

"What's the shit that he made you guys burn?" Tatsuki demanded to know.

"It's every single drug from a recent shipment that came in." Another man said. "It was meant for distribution, but the man stopped it from happening. He ordered every drug dealer to stop what they were doing. He threatened to kill every last motherfucker in the building. He was unstoppable. We had no choice but to listen to him. He commanded respect, and made us fear him."

"Have you guys ever heard of the warlord Shirosaki?" Tatsuki asked the men.

"Rumor has it he was living up in the mountains a few days ride away." One man said. "Essess pulverized his home, and drove him off."

"That man who killed Toriyama and the others." Tatsuki said. "He must be Shirosaki! If you see him again, send a message to Uryu Ishida, myself, or Ryuken Ishida. We'll take care of him before he becomes a problem."

One of the pimps who had survived the encounter with Ichigo Kurosaki spoke up:

"Wait!" he said. "There was a boy and two girls coming into town yesterday. The horse they was riding had a shit load of stuff strapped to it. I think I saw two spears! We didn't pay any attention to it while we was having fun with the little girls and the punk that was with them. He was just talking to one of Dante's whores, and gave her a hard time. Dante just started talking to him, and one thing led to another, and he kicked all of our asses. He killed Dante. The girls just disappeared. They was the Kurosaki girls, and he apparently is their brother or some shit."

"Kurosaki?" Tatsuki said, trying to think of the name. "The clinic near the Red District! I've been there a few times after I fought a few people! Their dad's really nice, but I didn't know he had a son."

"There's no missing him." The pimp said. "He has orange hair, and we tried poking fun at his head, but he ignored us. There's no mistaking his voice! He is the man who killed our boss Toriyama! You know the assassin Akutabi Gamma? Apparently Kurosaki's mentor was killed by Gamma, but Gamma died because of wounds that he suffered from the fight. Now that I think about it, Gamma worked for someone for a few years, on and off. One thing I know for sure is that boy is not Shirosaki."

"Kurosaki." Tatsuki said under her breath. "I think I better tell Uryu about this."

**

* * *

**

Hanataro Yamada was cleaning the place around the huge coffin that held Kouga Kuchiki. He was humming a tune that he used to entertain himself while doing mundane tasks. The Fourth Division of Essess' Army was used to be medics, but since there was nothing else to do, they were ordered to do other tasks while the other armies either did reconnaissance missions or trained to pass the time. Some of them required counseling after everything they had been through, so Division Four had to also do the counseling for the fellow warriors.

"Ha!" Hanataro said, proud at what he accomplished. "I'm finally cleaning the area around Mr. Kuchiki's coffin. I hope the others like-"

THUNK!

Hanataro fell to the ground as blood seeped from a head injury. Someone had thrown a rock at the back of his head so hard that it caused that wound. Out of the shadows stepped Rirrin. She was a young girl, maybe 12 or so, and was wearing all black clothing. Her head was not covered though, and this went against her master's wishes, but he could not see what she did or did not do. Her only objective was to awaken Kouga Kuchiki to once more command an army, but this time, the army would be unlike anything the world had seen. She approached the coffin, wary of her surroundings. She had taken out any guards that were around the area, but she did not know how many there were. She was young and inexperienced so her master would allow some deviation from the plan, but the main objective remained. She approached the coffin, and took out a few pieces of paper from her sleeves. She placed the paper around the coffin, and by magic, they all stuck to the black box. She made some hand signs, and spread her hands towards the coffin. There were weird spears which stapled the box to the ground. Using the combined magic of her master and her own, Rirrin lifted the spears off the coffin. The coffin started glowing green. Sweat beaded on Rirrin's forehead as time slowly passed. She could hear the distinct voices of people as they found the bodies of the unconscious guards. She concentrated harder on her task. Should she fail, she would not need to worry about the soldiers of Essess finding her. Her master would kill her himself, and he would enjoy it until the last drop of blood escaped her cold dead body. She could hear more discoveries, and she realized that she was surrounded. Essess officials would be upon her in a matter of seconds, and she did not know if the spell needed more than that. Suddenly, the coffin began shaking. She could hear the muffled sound of someone groaning inside the coffin. Rirrin gritted her teeth as she heard people unsheathing their swords while running to get to her before the inevitable happened.

Then everything stopped. Rirrin's eyes widened as the papers with the spells flew off the coffin with the breeze. She stood up and unsheathed a sword as she was surrounded by Essess personnel.

"What did you do?" One of the men screamed at her. "He's dangerous! He will kill us all!"

"You fools maybe." Rirrin sneered.

"Muramasa!" A voice yelled from within the coffin. "Muramasa! Muramasa! Muramasa! Muramasa!"

The man screamed his lover's name over and over, going faster and faster. The coffin began shaking as Kouga Kuchiki started pounding on it with his fists. Meanwhile, Rirrin was in heated battle with the guards of the area that Kouga Kuchiki had been placed. The top of the coffin flew off, and everyone there could clearly see the broken katana that Kouga had begun wielding. He chopped up the rest of the coffin, and came out. The guards backed away from Rirrin and Kouga. Rirrin fell to one knee, and bowed her head, letting go of her katana also.

"Master!" She yelled as Kouga approached her with the intent to kill her, "Please listen to me! I have been searching for you for years, and finally I have found you! I have freed you from your prison, and you can have your vengeance on those who trapped you!"

Kouga grabbed the girl by the front of her shirt, and picked her up so that her face was aligned with his.

"Where is Muramasa?" He demanded her to answer, "What have you done with him?"

"He-you killed him!" Rirrin cried.

"Lies!" Kouga threw the girl over the men and women whose duties were to stop anyone from opening the coffin.

Kouga roared mightily and started attacking the guards, stomping on Hanataro's body as he passed over the unconscious boy. He swung his sword, and with every furious blow, he sent the guards back and back, until they realized that it was hopeless. They started throwing their spears at him, but he caught one and used it to whack the others out of the air. He yelled at them as they started running away. He threw the spear, which barely grazed one of their arms, but struck nothing in the end. He yelled furiously and grabbed Rirrin by the back of the shirt she was wearing.

"Why the sugary, ass-fuck have you awoken me to this damned hell?" He yelled in her face.

"Say it, don't spray it…" Rirrin mumbled as she wiped his spit from her face. "Listen! We need you to lead an army!"

"Why?" Kouga demanded. "What do you gain?"

"I gain nothing, master." She said, closing her eyes and sighing to calm herself. "I only live to serve you and your army."

"I have no army!" He threw her over his head, and grabbed one of the spears that had been on the coffin. "I will kill the old man Yamamoto and kill Central 46! I will break through the walls of the center circle of Seireitei and kill the Royal Guard! The King himself will beg to even lick my toes! That is where his status will be! And every homosexual in the land will come to this country and be safe from prejudice and bullying! I will see to it that every last motherfucking person who is a bigot in this country will be put to death! In honor of my love for my beloved Muramasa, I will avenge him and kill the king! Now girl, if you are my servant, show me where this army is that you are speaking about! And we will go to war against Essess."

Rirrin smiled, because his anger was blinding him to the truth. He was miles away from Rokungai, the outer city to Seireitei. In fact, he was much closer to a little rural town.

"Your army is by your feet." Rirrin got up, and gave a piece of paper for Kouga to read.

He grabbed the paper with disdain, and read out the contents although it was in a tongue he did not understand. His hatred and anger pulsed through his veins and he began screaming! Rirrin silently made her get away as the Earth itself began moving. The gates to Hell itself opened up before Kouga, releasing hundreds of beings. Suddenly, Kouga was surrounded by corpses. Some had weapons, most did not. Kouga roared in rage, and signaled the army to go forth and attack the retreating guards who were still running away from him. Some had mounted horses and were getting further and further away. Hanataro came to, and coughed up blood. Corpses turned around to see him. He was wiping his eyes innocently unaware of the horde of enemies that were around him. They gathered around him as he looked up. His eyes immediately widened, and he screamed a blood-curdling scream that awoke nocturnal things that were riled up by his scream. Kouga snickered as his soldiers killed the boy in a matter of seconds, and ripped apart his body. Kouga screamed and ran forward with his soldiers to kill anyone who was in his way.

**

* * *

**

A mother was busy picking berries. Her son played with his imagination, as if he was sword fighting some hidden enemy. His sister was doing the laundry. Suddenly, they began hearing screams. The mother seemed not to notice. The sister grabbed the boy as they saw things running in the hills, killing anyone who tried to stop them. The workers in the field looked up and started running. The boy and girl started screaming for their mother. She looked up to them, and smiled. It faded as she saw people running past her. She turned around as Kouga Kuchiki decapitated her with his spear. He never broke stride as he headed towards the children. The girl pulled the screaming boy, who tried to make her let go. People were dying all over the place. One look at the soldiers and the boy knew that they were not dealing with the living, but the dead. The sister and brother got settled on a horse. The girl sat behind the boy, and protected him with her arms as she pulled on the reigns, whipping them so that the horse would go faster. Kouga Kuchiki threw his spear at the fleeing children as his soldiers attacked the rural town.

**

* * *

**

Ichigo finished cleaning the last of his armor. His main concern was the bullet that was lodged in the chest of his armor. It had left a huge welt on his chest. Breathing hurt. Bruises had formed on his body in various places where some asshole managed to hit him. Thankfully, no one was lucky enough to stab him through the joints in his armor. Some of his prior wounds had opened up so he had to reset them. He cleaned his armor and his weapons in a stream outside the town, away from prying eyes. He knew that son of a bitch pimp had ratted him out, so he stayed away from the town for most of the day. He was tired, and wanted nothing more than to sleep for a few hours. He set himself under a tree and relaxed his body and mind, and started drifting into uneasy sleep. Time passed. Ichigo's eyes snapped open, and he sat up. He could hear a horse whinnying.

"Fucking Kon!" Ichigo thought that his horse had found him, leading others to him.

Ichigo got to his feet, but it was not Kon that was coming towards him. It was a boy with red hair. He was crying. There was a girl who seemed to be unconscious leaning on the boy. Then, when the horse stopped walking, the girl fell from the horse. The boy sobbed bitterly as he looked at his dead sister. Ichigo ran to the boy and the girl. The girl had the head of a spear embedded in her back. It had gone right through, and upon investigation, Ichigo saw a wound on the boy from the spear. Ichigo grabbed the boy as he fell from the horse. The light from the sun beat down on his skin, and the pain from his wounds reminded him that he was not in his prime, but Ichigo ignored it all, and focused on the boy. He left his belongings, and mounted the horse. He left the girl's body and rode back to town. The boy continued to cry in Ichigo's arms.

_Another woman has died. _Ichigo thought bitterly. _Was this someone I could have saved?_ He rode through the gates and passed people who were doing their own business. He rode onward towards the Kurosaki Clinic. There was a group of people in front of the Clinic when Ichigo got there. He gritted the teeth and guided the horse towards the group. The horse whinnied as Ichigo forced his way through the crowd. Isshin looked surprised to see his son all bloody, with a boy who sobbed.

"Get out of my way!" Ichigo demanded to the people as he dismounted the horse, and carried the boy into the Clinic.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed Ichigo's shoulder, and spun him around.

"You're the one responsible for the deaths of the gang leaders!" A man said who seemed to be the same age of Ichigo, who was also wearing spectacles.

"Fuck off!" Ichigo seethed. "This boy needs help and I'll be damned if I let some punk-ass bitch tell me whatever the fuck I did wrong. Fuck you, fuck you, and fuck you!"

With every 'fuck you' Ichigo had pointed to different people, including the boy who had grabbed him and Ichigo's own father. He stomped into the clinic, and opened the doors to the area where the beds were. He placed the boy down on one of the beds. The boy lay on his stomach, and Ichigo used a knife to cut open his shirt. He looked at the wound. He rushed into the pharmacy part of the clinic and grabbed anything he could find. He grabbed bandages and ointment. He grabbed a vial filled with medication. Upon reading the label, it was a pain killer. Ichigo washed his hands, and walked back to the boy, and sat him up.

"Come now!" Ichigo said softly. "If you don't drink some of this, your wound will hurt."

"He killed them both!" The boy sobbed. "He killed my mother and my sister! Father was not home! Maybe he's dead too!"

"Listen to me!" Ichigo said gently yet forcefully. "If your father is alive, he would not want you to act like this. He would want you to man up and take this nasty tasting stuff and swallow it! I need to treat your wounds!"

The boy wiped his tears, and Ichigo put the vial to his mouth. Isshin came into the room.

"Ichigo you don't know the proper dosage!" Isshin said quietly, but then retracted what he said; Ichigo knew this medication very well.

He once had administered similar medicine to a very hurt Senna a few years prior.

Ichigo put the cork on the vial, and made the boy lie on his stomach as he began dressing the wound. Sweat beaded on Ichigo's forehead as he worked. Isshin left Ichigo and went back to speak to the towns' people who were still outside the clinic. It took almost an hour, but Ichigo had closed the wound, sewing it up with medical twine and a sterilized needle. To sterilize the needle, he lit a match and burned the needle so that the germs or whatever would be gone. He put ointment on the wound, and put a bandage on the boy. The boy was calm now.

"What's your name?" Ichigo asked the boy.

"Jinta." The boy said, swallowing a bit. "Jinta Hanakari."

Then, the boy told Ichigo everything that he saw and the horrible things that had taken the rural town, and perhaps other towns. After hearing what the boy had to say, Ichigo tucked him into bed, and told him to sleep. Ichigo left the room, and washed his hands in the kitchen. He dumped out the water in the backyard, and refilled the bucket with water. He took off his blood stained shirt, and threw it on the ground. Blood would stain the shirt permanently, so it had little use or value now. Ichigo went upstairs and searched through his family's belongings until he found one of his father's shirts. He put that on and went back downstairs to talk to the people.

"Listen you!" The boy with the spectacles said. "You don't have a right to come to this town and do things, unlawful things, to the citizens. You also presume that you are of a higher status than I! My name is Uryu Ishida! My family owns this town."

"Forget whatever happened, and forget who I am." Ichigo said. "It's going to be one hell of a night."

Ichigo told the people everything Jinta told him. The people scrambled, and went throughout the town screaming the dreadful news. People went to the gates, and closed them. Isshin turned to his son.

"You have been busy ever since you got here." He said. "Why do you care so much that bad things don't happen to the people of this town?"

"Because I have the power!" Ichigo replied. "I can make change happen, and I can stop things from happening! Now, I have to get my stuff! Where's Kon?"

"I'll tell you where your horse went after we discuss where you got that shirt from." Isshin said, irritating Ichigo.

"How about we discuss where you were when you ditched the three of us?" Ichigo spat back. "The girls are still at that old woman's place, so they will be safe!"

"Ichigo." Isshin said. "I guess it's inevitable, but I guess I'm going to have to tell you some day. Do you remember how I killed those men that killed your mother?"

"Yeah," Ichigo said, confused. "You owned them with just knives."

"Do you want to know where I learned such skills from?" Isshin asked, filling Ichigo with uneasiness.

"Not really, but I guess you're going to tell me anyways." Ichigo replied.

"I am an ex-General of Essess." Isshin replied, and then waited for Ichigo to say anything.

"You're kidding right?" Ichigo said.

"No, son." Isshin said. "Three weeks ago, they approached me with an offer. Like any parent, we want what's best for our children. The representatives of Essess offered to take Yuzu and Karin to a private school in order to teach them things for well paying careers. They would pay for everything: The tuition, utilities, food, clothes, transportation and upkeep of animals, and other things. The only thing I would have to do was to be a guide for the Princess of Hueco Mundo when she comes to this town to negotiate with Essess representatives. The people of Essess gave me funds under the table like, and I hired men and women to build a building for the Princess."

"I'm confused." Ichigo said. "I thought these two countries were at war. Why then, is Essess so willing to help the Princess of Hueco Mundo out?"

"They're planning an assassination." Isshin replied. "Without the Princess, favor of the Royal family in Hueco Mundo will decline. The people with revolt and force their King Aizen to abdicate the throne. This will put an end to this war. I had to meet with General Kisuke Urahara secretly when we came back from your mom's grave. The building the Princess is to reside in has been finished. The General from Essess has had one of the pillars filled with holes. In the holes, explosive material has been placed. There is a wick on the outside of the building. If someone lights that, the explosion would send a chain-reaction of explosions throughout the pillar which will bring down the whole building but not harm anything else. Instead of negotiators, Essess will be sending an elite team of soldiers who will kill everyone from Hueco Mundo. I don't know these people are, but the Princess' fate is sealed. No one can stop it. It's for the betterment of all people of Hueco Mundo, Essess, and Karakura Town."

Ichigo let the information sink in. It was a righteous plan. They would use evil means for a righteous end. An innocent had to die so that millions of people could live, including the King of Essess.

"And Karin and Yuzu know that you have had this done?" Ichigo asked his father. "If you are the guide, why don't you kill her yourself?"

"I don't know how many guards she will have." Isshin answered. "I have not kept up with training, so I might not even be a match for them. My part in the plan is to guide the Princess and her crew towards the center of the town, next to the church with the high tower and bell. I have an accomplice who will ring the bell, signaling the squad of Essess soldiers to attack. I won't ever tell the girls about this, because it doesn't really sit right with me; killing a young girl who has her heart in the right place but is going to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Oh well, such is life."

Isshin then proceeded to tell Ichigo where his horse went. He found Kon mounted on a donkey with its owner screaming obscenities at the beast. The only problem was that the ass's face was where the horse was humping. FML

_**GoldDragon08: **_If anyone wants to know how Ichigo gets his stuff, read the last chapter: There's a door in the Red District, and there are other doors like that throughout the town.


	11. Chapter 11

**Knight of Karakura Town: Chapter Eleven**

_**GoldDragon08**_: Yo, this story has time lapses. While one thing happened, something else happened. Kouga Kuchiki was awoken a few days ago, if not a week ago. Jinta travelled a while with his sister, dead on his back…It's sad…But the story goes on!

No more drugs had come to Karakura Town, so the people who were addicted to drugs tried asking the medical personnel in Karakura if they had anything to fill their needs. Some people turned to smoking tea, or they smoked more tobacco, since there was an abundance of the plant. People from other towns had yelled for the town gates to be opened. Although this was hazardous, Uryu and the men in charge of the town could not let the people down, so they let them in to find refuge in the town. Many had harrowing stories about what was happening outside the town walls. Hundreds of people had died at the hands of an army filled with dead people. They had tried fighting back, but these ghouls were unlike anything anyone in the world ever witnessed. Leading them was Kouga Kuchiki, who was mad with blood-lust. He killed everything, even some of his own soldiers if they got in his way. No one was spared, and Kouga's rampage continued. People living in farms never stood a chance. Another town with high walls like Karakura Town had been besieged. Few escaped to tell the tale. After hearing this, the Ishidas spread the word. Many people had sought refuge in the Ishida Hospital, or had found refuge somewhere else in the town in buildings that seemed sturdy. Uryu had no choice but to remain at the hospital with the others in order to defend it. His bravest men were with him. The men and women had worked for hours, tearing down houses in order to board up the buildings that the people would be hiding in. Most of the windows of the hospital were boarded up, except for the ones on the uppermost floor. Nevertheless, people were told not to go near the windows to check if anything was coming. Uryu had ordered every lantern in town to be put out so Kouga would not know where to strike. Darkness descended upon Karakura Town like a blanket.

The Kurosaki's let the poor people of Karakura Town into their home. Men helped Isshin board up the windows and doors. They had a meal together from food the people brought, and things the Kurosaki's had. Everyone was sent into the cellar. Isshin and three men boarded up the door. The people were crammed together but they were glad that they were safe. They were allowed to have a torch lit for light. If they needed to defecate or urinate, they would use gigantic buckets. As for the animals of Karakura Town, people led the smaller animals into the cellars of their homes, while horses and other animals were brought to a huge warehouse where they would be stored for the time being. The warehouse was a tall building that usually held supplies. After Amagai invaded, the people who left with him took what they wanted. This means that there was more space for the animals now. Uryu had the keys to the warehouse. Being so close to another animal, Kon mounted and humped them.

Meanwhile, Ichigo had raided Toriyama's belongings although Uryu had ordered the guards to not let people into the storerooms. People were allowed to seek refuge in the building. Ichigo had knocked the guards out when they did not let him in. He took barrels of alcohol and flammable or explosive powder. Judging by what the people said, the army of the dead would be coming from the East, so that was where Ichigo planned to defend the town. The sun had set. Ichigo stood in one of the tall towers that overlooked the landscape. He looked through a telescope at the areas surrounding the town. For now, he did not wear his white mask, and opted to wear his cowl so that no one would see him. He remembered a conversation he had with Uryu about how they were supposed to defend the town. Uryu planned to wait out the night, and wait for the day. Then, when the army of the dead attacked, it would not be so frightening so the men and women would not lose heart and would continue fighting for their lives. Ichigo, however, believed that to stop the army, they needed to get to the roots of the problem. Someone was ordering the army around and that person had to be taken out. Then, the army would have no orders. It would be risky because without a head, the army might go into frenzy and hurt others more without regard to their own safety. Or, without the leader, the army might lose heart and disperse. Ichigo had no idea what these dead things thought, and if they even felt fear, but one thing was certain: He needed to protect his family and those who were close to them. This town was now his home, and he would be damned if he would let it fall to the heathen that threatened the people.

Ichigo checked the stores on his belt for the umpteenth time in ten minutes. Nothing had gone missing in that time. Suddenly, the wind picked up. It carried the smell of decaying flesh and bone. Using skilled taught to him for controlling his body, Ichigo turned off his smell receptacles, and instead of getting sick, his body started reacting as it prepared for the fight. Then, he heard it: Groaning of things in pain. He could just make out the forms of humanoid things just walking aimlessly over the plains. Then Ichigo saw a torch. A man with no shirt but red ribbons was carrying it. It was none other than Kouga Kuchiki.

"Stupid." Ichigo shook his head at the leader of the army. "You just gave away your position."

Ichigo took up his crossbow, and used his finger to test the wind. It was superb conditions. He armed the bow with a single black arrow. And so he waited for this man to come closer to the town. The man seemed on edge, as if he was waiting for something. He kept walking forward though. Then he stopped. His eyes went wide. Ichigo looked into his telescope to see what in the hell Kouga was doing. Apparently, he saw the town walls, and was now ordering the zombies around. They started rushing the wall.

"Of course nothing is ever as easy!" Ichigo muttered, leaving the crossbow, grabbing two spears and started running on top of the wall.

The Zombies fell on top of each other, making a pile of bodies that kept building. They were making a huge hill that would be so tall that the others in the army could run up and over the walls. It was ingenious.

"Of course they would come this far this fast." Ichigo said, igniting a match stick. He dropped it on the wall.

The whole wall lit up with fire running down it. The explosives were placed at the bottom of the wall. There were many zombies, but they could not stop the fire from finding the explosives around the giant heap of bodies. The explosions ripped through the hill of bodies, sending them all sprawling away from the wall. Ichigo took out a cape, and tied it around his waist. He leapt from the wall, scraping the two spears against it to cause sparks. The secondary layer of alcohol and fibers caught on fire, and spread after him. His cape split into three parts, like sails. He fell to the ground, but was not hurt because the cape acted similarly like a parachute. He ripped it from his waist. He could not afford to have anything loose for his enemies to grab. He ran fast and hard, using the spears to separate the enemies in front of him. He plowed through them, and they ran after him. He started fighting with them, using the spears. He unsheathed the huge cleaver on his back, and threw it up in the air, and made sure to know where it landed. He fought with the spears, holding them both in the middle, using them in tandem to trip or stab the zombies. He was surrounded by darkness and could not see the foes that he fought. He only focused on the torch that Kouga Kuchiki held in his hand.

The zombies surrounded him from all sides, and buried him in an ocean of rank corpses. Ichigo could barely hold onto one spear, and lost the other one to the screaming horde. He had prepared for such an event. He took a round plate from his belt, which was as big as his fist. He was careful to stop it from touching any metal on him, because it would be hard to get off. Ichigo placed the plate on the ground at a certain position. Suddenly, rods became magnetized because of the properties of the plate. The rods shot up, knocking the zombies away. Ichigo was able to get up, and whack a few zombies away from him with the spear. He marched forward, throwing the spear around with wild abandon as it broke bones, slashed open wounds, and impaled heads. Then, the zombies parted to let their General and master a full view of the only enemy in the plain. Kouga Kuchiki walked forward, pointing a gold spear at Ichigo. Ichigo threw his spear at Kouga, who sliced it out of the air. Ichigo somersaulted and found his second spear. He and Kouga exchanged vicious blows. With every blow, they fought harder and faster than before. The sparks emitted from the spears were bright enough to let both opponents to see. Ichigo and Kouga threw down their spears. Ichigo ran away from Kouga as the bigger man unsheathed his katana, which had a piece missing from it from the top.

"That's right, better to save yourself," Kouga chided Ichigo as he walked after him. "It matches your speed."

Zombies stood in Ichigo's way. As Ichigo came forward, they tried to attack. Ichigo threw six knives at once, and they hit their targets true in the neck. Unable to breathe, and having their spinal cords severed, the zombies fell to the ground, useless. Ichigo pulled up the huge cleaver he had thrown before, and faced Kouga, who looked surprised.

"Let's dance." Ichigo said as he ran forward, knocking down other zombies. "Motherfucker!"

Ichigo's strength, skill, and speed were immense enough to push the General back. He wielded the sword as if it was a stick: masterfully. He continued striking Kuchiki's sword. Kuchiki grinned the whole time. And then, when Ichigo stood back, Kuchiki attacked. Ichigo was put onto the defensive, blocking strike after strike, being pushed back. He looked back to see if any enemies dared stab him from behind. Fortunately, the zombies just got out of Ichigo and Kuchiki's way. Finally, Kouga stopped attacking Ichigo, and grinned ear to ear.

"You're the only defense this town has?" Kouga sneered. "How pathetic!"

Remember, I just wrote that Ichigo was striking Kuchiki's sword before. Ichigo summoned air into his lungs, and hissed. In one swift strike, Ichigo lacerated Kouga's chest, obliterating the broken sword he wielded. Kouga stumbled back in confusion, and picked up whatever weapon he could find. He tore off the arm of one of the fallen zombies, and tried to defend himself from…Ichigo?

Kouga looked around himself. He saw a sea of mindless zombies just swaying back and forth, stupidly.

"Where are you?" Kouga cried out.

THUNK!!

Kouga roared as he let go of the arm, and grabbed the throwing knife that was now embedded in his left shoulder. He turned around, looking for Ichigo.

"Find him!" Kouga roared to the zombies. "Bring him to me!"

Ichigo burst through the crowd of zombies who lashed out at him wildly. He sliced off arms and heads, and aimed to get to the General who retreated behind a horde of rabid zombies' intent on hurting Ichigo. However, the man with the black cowl was in him element. He cut through zombies. This was no longer a battle. It was a slaughter. However, the more that came to him, the more Ichigo realized that his target was getting away. Ichigo leapt up and ran from zombie to zombie. They tried getting to him, but he moved fast. Kouga had dropped the torch when he and Ichigo first began fighting, so it was hard to figure out where he was. Ichigo ignited another match, and threw it into the air. It hit a part of the ground, and the zombies lit up as alcohol and powder ignited. The zombies fell to the ground, dying painfully. Ichigo spotted Kouga clearly, and stood on a few bodies of zombies who tried pulling at him. Kouga was smiling, thinking he had won. Ichigo threw up the cleaver, and swung it round and round his head. He aimed carefully, and threw the cleaver at Kouga. Unfortunately for Ichigo, Kouga was successful at bringing up his arms, and the cleaver rammed into them, slicing through bone and sinew, rendering one arm useless. Kouga roared as he picked up Ichigo's weapon. He charged through the zombies, furiously smashing zombies out of his way. Ichigo was overwhelmed by zombies, and could not see anything that was happening. He yelled, and lashed out beating them back. He succeeded in making an opening, and used martial arts to break bones, smash heads, and keep the zombies at bay. He cut a chord on his left arm, which had a rectangular device attached to it. It had hindered his movements somewhat, but he was right handed anyways. He rose up his arm as metal plates folded out like a fan that went 360 degrees. Kouga attacked Ichigo, slamming the cleaver into the shield. Ichigo somersaulted, and cut off heads with the shield. The shield was too dull to cut straight through, but the damage had been done. Save for a few zombies who persisted, Ichigo had made a path away from a screaming Kouga. He tried taunting Ichigo with insults, but being trained mercilessly as he was, Ichigo had a plan. He took out another plate from a pocket on his back pocket, and threw it up, and brought the shield up. The plate landed directly in the middle of the shield. The magnetism in the plate launched the folds of the shield all over the place with impressive force, contributed by springs that were placed into the shield. Kouga was hit straight in the chest by one piece of the shield, and grabbed the piece, trying to pull it out. Blood poured out of his wound. Now free of the heavy metal that was on his left hand, Ichigo fought more aggressively, taking down enemy after enemy. The zombies lacked the knowledge of how to fight. They only followed instinct and tried grabbing him. The rushed him, using mob mentality, but he flew over the top of their bodies, as if he had wings. Kouga roared, holding up the massive cleaver.

THUNK!  
THUNK!  
THUNK!

Three throwing knives now embedded themselves into Kouga's throat. The General made a gurgling sound, unable to swallow, breathe, or speak and dropped Ichigo's sword. He clutched at the knives, trying to take them out, only achieving a torrent of blood to come out of his throat. Ichigo flipped over zombies, grabbing his cleaver. Kouga looked at him, with fear in his eyes. With one last effort, Kouga rose to his full height, and tried punching Ichigo. Kouga lost his arm to Ichigo's sword, creating a bloody stump that poured more blood from the body. In one fluid motion, Ichigo beheaded the General. Ichigo had achieved what no one else from Essess could. He had killed the strongest warrior ever. With the death of their leader, the magic that kept the horde of zombies alive faded, and they all fell down, dead. Ichigo stood over the bodies of thousands. The rank smell of rotting flesh hit him all at once. The adrenaline used to fight the battle had been overused. Ichigo fell to his hands and knees, and threw up everything that he had eaten; messing up some of the armor he wore. He lay down on the ground, closing his eyes. The fire on the wall still blazed. The people inside the town were unaware that the threat had been thwarted. Ichigo could only hope nothing else would attack him as he took a well deserved rest…

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"I sense the magic has faded." Kisuke Urahara said to the people inside Mayuri Kurotsuchi's house. "Ichigo Kurosaki has done it! He has killed Kouga Kuchiki."

Urahara turned to the people that were with him. Rirrin stood beside the throne, where her master sat.

"He really and truly is something else." The man on the throne said. "The diversion worked! Everything now is in place for the assassination, and for the events that are to follow! He won't suspect a thing."

"You will keep your part of the bargain." Urahara warned.

"Kisuke, I'm hurt!" The man on the throne got up, and went beside General Urahara, putting his hand on Urahara's shoulder. "Surely you don't doubt me when everything has happened as you have foreseen?"

"Or maybe someone is projecting things into my mind?" Urahara said, and left the two, opening the door part way. "I trust you. But make no mistake. I have ten thousand spells and poisons that will kill the King of Hueco Mundo. For you, all I need is to show Ichigo where you live."

Urahara closed the door after he left, not looking to see how the man he was talking to reacted to his threat. The man laughed, shrugging, although Rirrin was uneasy. The man came back and sat down on his throne. The man's blood boiled at the thought of being betrayed by the Essess General, but the man was a seasoned warrior, and a master tactician. Plus he had some magic powers.

His name…

…was Shirosaki…

Evil laughter ran through the night as Urahara's soldiers let the whole town know that the invasion had been thwarted.

**

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**

Ichigo got up and went back to the town as lanterns were lit everywhere. People came out of their homes, but were horrified. The wind was merciless as it sent the disgusting smell of rotting corpses towards them. Ichigo took a piece of cloth from Kouga's body, and placed it to his face to block out the smell. BIG MISTAKE!!

Ichigo gagged as he smelled Kouga's cloth. It smelled of sweat, death, and sex all mixed together. Ichigo lost his nerve and threw up again, forgetting Kouga's cloth. Ichigo stumbled away, trying to find a way back into the town. Everywhere hurt as the adrenaline stopped pumping and his body cooled down. The zombies had really done a number on him. Kouga's attacks had made Ichigo's arms ache. Ichigo walked aimlessly around the wall until he came to a door. He knocked on it. No one answered. Ichigo groaned, turning his back to the door, and then slid down it. He took off his mask, and felt blood fall from a gash on his forehead into his eye. He wiped it away, but the wound would not stop bleeding. The damn zombies had scratched him. Ichigo took out a small amount of ointment, and put it on his wound. He grimaced as he felt pain as he put the gel like substance into his wound.

_The town's safe,_ Ichigo thought to himself. _I guess I have to wait until someone comes out. What a bother. I could not have put a way up into the town because the enemies would have found it. I couldn't take that chance. Now I have to wait smelling the dead bodies. I hope nothing horrible happens…I'm exhausted. _

Ichigo bowed his head, and started going into a trance. From this state, he could block out every sense, and fall asleep…

**

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**

The man fell to the floor after being pushed to his knees by two guards.

"Lord Aizen!" One of the guards said. "We found this man walking towards the throne room! He bypassed every guard and ever sentry that your excellence has put up! He has news for you! From the marking on the back of his armor, it seems that this man is associated with the renegade Shirosaki."

"That man is truly something." Aizen said from his throne about Shirosaki. "He really trained these men to be the best. I suppose that he _let_ you see him. If he had not, he could have easily infiltrated the throne room, and if he was ordered to, he would assassinate me. Be happy that he let you live."

"Sir?" The guards said. "What are you saying?"

"If Essess had any soldiers as skilled as Shirosaki's men," Aizen smiled, thinking about the irony, "This war would have ended years ago. So Shirosaki's soldier, what do you want from me?"

"I bring news, King Aizen." The man screamed, not daring look at Aizen in the eyes. "The negotiations will not go as planned! The leaders of Essess have all agreed! They will assassinate the Princess Orihime, because she is highly respected by your people! Her death will surely bring discord and have an effect on the morale of most of the soldiers! Essess' plan is ingenious! They seek to bring you down, King Aizen, with the death of your daughter!"

Aizen just looked at the man, anger surging through his veins. For once, he lost his nerve. He ran down the stairs from his throne and grabbed the man making him stand up.

"Those fools at Essess would dare kill a non-combatant like Orihime?!?!" Aizen seethed at the man. "Where are you getting your information from? Why do you think you can just come to my palace and destroy all my careful plans?!?! Is it really true, are those stupid Generals of Essess really considering this?!"

"I know it!!" The man said. "You daughter will be in mortal danger."

"You have told your news!" Aizen said through clenched teeth. "Now get the fuck out of my country!!"

Aizen pushed the man to the throne room doors. He looked to the guards.

"Summon the Generals!" Aizen yelled. "One of you, go and wake the Princess up and tell her the news! The negotiations are off!!"

"Sir, yes sir!!" The guards ran from the throne room.

Aizen looked around. In all the confusion, it seemed that Shirosaki's man had vanished. An unfamiliar feeling ran up Aizen's spine. For the first time in many years, after living a rich life, blessedly distant from any battle, Aizen felt…

FEAR

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_My dearest Rangiku,_

_You must have been prisoner of Shirosaki for many years. I cannot imagine what horrors you would have seen or endured. I don't know what he did to you, but I know in my heart that it could not be good. I feel jealous. It seems that the armies of Essess saved you. If I had the courage, I would have tried to use everything in my power to find the Monastery. I would have burned it down and killed the bastard Shirosaki and all of his men. I would have saved you, and then everything would have been okay. Aizen may not have welcomed me back, because saving you would have meant that I was saving a soldier of Essess. I would have betrayed my king. Then, I could not go to Essess because they have branded me a traitor. Would you forgive me for hurting you so, and letting you be captured? Would you be happy to see me after all those years? _

_The war has been fought on many fronts. Surely you must have thought about the inability you felt after not being able to fight with your General and the Division you belong to. I fought a few battles myself, with King Aizen by my side. We killed hundreds. Is that good: Maybe not because some of those soldiers might have been your friends. I miss your small, delicate hands, your warm embrace, and your luscious lips. I miss your strawberry blond hair. I miss the way a dress fell upon you, emphasizing all your curves. The negotiations are to take place in a bit more than a month's time. Maybe that will mark the end of our ten-year war? _

_Think about it Rangiku! We could resolve our problems between the two countries! We could find unity, peace and love! That is all I would want from you, Rangiku Matsumoto._

_I Love You._

_I can't wait for the end of this war! I can't wait for us to be together again!_

_Write me soon,_

_Love,_

_Gin Ichimaru_

Rangiku Matsumoto looked at the note that had been given to her in secret by one of the people in Karakura Town. Somehow, the people of Hueco Mundo found out where she would be, or at least followed leads as to her whereabouts. The note seemed to be written many weeks ago. Spies from Hueco Mundo had infiltrated Essess, and found out that Rangiku had been rescued. Ichimaru must have found out and wrote the note right away. Tears streamed down Rangiku's face, as she planted her back on the door to her room where she slept in. She fell to the ground. She was both happy and angry. She felt such sorrow.

She would be part of the group of Essess soldiers that would take Orihime Inoue's life.

The war would start again, and this time, the Generals of Essess planned to devastate the soldiers of Hueco Mundo. Captain-Commander Yamamoto himself would kill the traitors Tosen Kaname, Sosuke Aizen…

…and Gin Ichimaru.

Thus, Rangiku and Ichimaru would never be together. He was doomed to die, and she was doomed to live a lonely life, ruined by the torture that she had been through at the hands of Shirosaki and his men. She was also doomed to die also, since Orihime Inoue might be heavily guarded with some of the best warriors Hueco Mundo had to offer. How could life be so cruel? Rangiku thought of her comrades. They had trained day-in, day-out. They knew their duty, and so did she. Several Generals had questioned her after she was rescued from Shirosaki. They wanted to know his plans, his weapons, how many soldiers he had, and any Intel that Shirosaki had about Hueco Mundo. Rangiku felt embarrassed. She was not that important to Essess after all. They wanted to save her because they felt that she had valuable information to give them. She tried desperately to tell them what she knew, but she ended up telling them useless information. The Monastery was destroyed, and everyone was presumably dead. Rangiku did not know the current whereabouts of Shirosaki, and was glad, thinking that she would never have the misfortune of seeing that monster again. There had been some uproar about Kouga Kuchiki and an army of zombies. The soldiers of Essess were ordered not to engage for some reason. They left the protection of Karakura Town to a lone knight Rangiku had no idea who that was. There was a huge fire on the wall to the East, and they could hear moans and the sounds of battle coming from the wall. And then there was a green flash, and the moans stopped. General Kisuke Urahara of 12 Division was inside the 'City Hall' speaking to someone. That building had now been said to be restricted to Urahara. The other General in the city, General Kaien Shiba was still training with the others who were getting ready for the assassination that was a bit more than a month away. They could not expect the booby-trapped building to work. They made sure that everything was accounted for. They could not afford the Princess of Hueco Mundo to escape.

Her death had to be a sure thing. With most of the people in Karakura Town oblivious, there would be nothing to fear…

Rangiku held herself, still crying. She crushed the letter in her palm to her heart.

"So stupid!" Rangiku cursed herself, the man who wrote the letter, and the war itself for ruining so many lives. "No, he's not that stupid. That bastard Aizen is by far the craziest, stupidest, most disgraceful man I have ever met. Why does Gin associate with him? I hate them both."

Rangiku crumpled up the letter and threw it away from her. She stayed in the dark room, not moving to her bed to sleep, and not changing the clothes she had worn from training. She could not sleep. She felt some strange sensation, as if the devil himself was just a mile away…

**

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**

"You have opium?" Rirrin asked her master, who puffed merrily on a pipe, getting high.

"No, fool." Shirosaki said. "Anyone with any knowledge with chemicals and plants knows how to make some wicked ass shit. This Mayuri fellow who used to control the town had a stash of many chemicals. I just combined it with tea and ginseng to make...shit! It's hilarious; my mind feels like it's in water! Maybe I just poisoned myself! Oh well, better to die happy than to die sad, or angry! Although, I would have rather killed a few people before I go…So Rirrin, what do you have planned for the rest of the evening?"

"Uh…?" Rirrin looked at her master uneasily as he grinned, innocently. "Sorry Sir, I gotta go!!"

Rirrin ran out of the building as fast as she could, while Shirosaki bellowed for her to come back. He sank back down on the throne, throwing the pipe down, spilling the crap he was smoking. He put his hands behind his head, and stretched out.

_I wonder how Ichigo is doing. _Shirosaki thought. Suddenly there was a struggle outside. Shirosaki sat up, and grabbed his mask, putting it on his face, horns and all. He grabbed a red cape and draped it around his arms, and took both of his swords, putting them into his sash. The door burst open, and Shirosaki's heart stopped.

"What are you planning, Lord Shirosaki?" The better of the best, one of Shirosaki's oldest minions, Zang stood in the doorway, and was looking like he had just gone through hell.

Zang had wounds all over his body; the heaviest was on his chest. He was wearing his traditional white shirt, but it had been ripped open, revealing his hairy chest, right shoulder, down to his stomach.

"Good god, man." Shirosaki said. "I thought you were going to stay with Miko Senna's parents."

"I did." Zang stated. "The danger is over if you have decided to come here. You're planning to die aren't you?"

"What makes you say that?" Shirosaki asked playfully. "Surely you don't think I am so depressed that I need to kill myself?"

"You never get depressed." Zang said. "You're planning to make Ichigo decide what is more important, Love, or Duty. Senna's brother saw everything Ichigo will go through. I came here to help him, and spoke with Isshin Kurosaki, Ichigo's father. You're actually going to make Ichigo choose between killing you to stop Orihime Inoue from dying, or ending the war between Hueco Mundo and Essess once and for all! You want him to become everyone's enemy! Essess will hunt him down for protecting the Princess! If Ichigo goes to Hueco Mundo and Sosuke Aizen finds out about his relationship with the Princess, Aizen will have Ichigo executed for being one of your warriors! He will think Ichigo is out to kill him!"

Shirosaki smiled, lifting off the mask to let Zang look at his face. Shirosaki began laughing, quietly at first, and then he lost control.

"You are the best, Zang." Shirosaki said, wiping a lone tear from his eye. "It's a Hard Knock Life, isn't it? Come now Zangy, you know how much fun this will be. Sure people will die, but its all part of the plan. You don't know, do you? I sent some punk to tell Aizen about the Assassination attempt! HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!! Essess has sent their very best warriors to take on Orihime and her crew! What they don't know is things are going to be extremely fucked up!!"

Zang relaxed and smiled, exhaling for the first time.

"So you are just planning mischief." Zang said, closing the doors behind him. "I should have known."

Zang walked into the throne room, and grabbed a chair, and sat close to Shirosaki.

"I'm guessing we can't reveal ourselves to Ichigo yet." Zang said.

"Nope, not until after the Princess comes." Shirosaki said. "But since Ichigo is out of the town, you may want to get yourself healed, unless of course you still have fight in ya, and think you can take me down?"

"I'll go to the hospital right away." Zang got up and bowed humbly before his master, and headed towards Ishida Hospital.

Shirosaki grinned, shaking his head. Zang had faked his death, and killed Gamma. He was _legendary._ And now, Ichigo had made a name for himself in this small town. Sure, Uryu and Ryuken Ishida had done noble things to protect the citizens, but if Ichigo had not done what he had done, the town might not be standing right now.

Ichigo had become The Knight of Karakura Town.

Such a title excited Shirosaki. This showed that Senna was not wrong, and that his visions over the years were coming true. In this town, Shirosaki would die, but the question remained:

How? Shirosaki grinned. He would not go down stupidly. Ichigo would not just accidentally do something to kill him. Shirosaki would make sure of that. Shirosaki grinned: Shirosaki might kill Ichigo in the end, as he himself dies a warrior's death.

* * *

What to wear?  
What to wear?  
What to wear?  
What to wear?

Orihime was sitting in a rather large room with various servants running around. They were having a fashion show of sorts. Servants were showing her splendid dresses and suits she should wear for the negotiations. Orihime had not really wanted to wear things that made her look like royalty, but her friends insisted that they make her choose exquisite dresses.

"You have to set an example!" Orihime's best friend said. "Men will be looking at you! You have to show them your immense beauty! You have to wear elegant dresses, and a whole lot of jewelry!"

"But this doesn't feel right." Orihime replied. "The people don't have such luxurious clothes! If I show that I'm better than them, then they will feel worse about their situation! I need to make myself look professional! I will wear a simple white dress, which I wear all the time in the palace."

"Orihime, come on!" Her friend said. "None of the boys in Hueco Mundo interest you, so why not look for someone in a different place? You might fall in love with a soldier from Essess! Oh the tragedy! You will meet time and time again, kissing and loving each other, and when your families find out about this love affair, they will try to pull you apart! But love conquers all! In the end, you will both risk everything, and will end up together, somewhere warm and beautiful! Think of the children you'll have! Can you imagine little Sora and Orihime? Come on Orihime!"

Orihime blushed quite a bit, and smiled awkwardly as she scratched the back of her head.

"No, no, I don't think I'll be going to Karakura Town looking for love." Orihime lied; she was looking for the man that smelled like the man in her vision at Yoruichi's place. "I have to be professional and cannot afford to look like I am superior to anyone else! I have to go there and perform the duties of the Princess of Hueco Mundo."

"Oh come on, Orihime!" Orihime's friend said.

Suddenly, one of Aizen's personal guards rushed into the room, forgetting to bow, or even knock before entering.

"What do you want?" Orihime's friend sneered.

"Easy," Orihime whispered to her friend, and then turned to the guard. "You must have urgent news to come into this room like this."

The guard told Orihime about the planned assassination. Orihime's eyes went wide, and her friend gasped.

_**GoldDragon08:**_ This story's getting good man! I hope people like it so far. SPOILER: Orihime and Ichigo are still going to meet at Karakura Town.


	12. Chapter 12

**Knight of Karakura Town: Chapter Twelve**

_**GoldDragon08:**_ Let's cut to the chase shall we? To read the part where Orihime comes to Karakura Town, go to line Number Four. For Orihime and Ichigo, go to the next one, numba FIVE. They are all numbered.

Ichigo awoke with a start. He tried sitting up. The sunlight filled the room, blinding him for a second before he got used to it. He was in a hospital bed. He looked at his body. There were bandages on his right side, wrapping around the opposite side. Bruises were visible all around his body. The worst was a huge one on his back. He felt a bandage on his forehead as well. He looked and saw a set of clothes folded neatly on a chair. He threw his legs over the edge of the bed. He was only wearing a black boxer. He looked at the clothes. It was a brown trouser, and white shirt with a blue cross design on it. He pulled the clothes on. Under the bed were slippers, which he put on. He looked all around the room, even in the closet. All of his weapons and armor were missing. Ichigo frowned. Pain throbbed from his left leg. He had no memory of getting hurt this badly, but knew that the zombies had caused some damage. For some reason, his right side hurt the most. Ichigo opened the door to the hospital room, and saw nurses walking to and fro. He grabbed one by the arm.

"Where am I?" Ichigo asked the woman forcefully.

While he was speaking to the nurse, a man with brown hair in a pony tail rounded the corner. Ichigo did not seem to notice until the last minute, when the man ran back behind the corner.

_What the hell was that?_ Ichigo ran to the corner, and looked to see who the man was. He had looked familiar, too familiar. Ichigo went back to questioning the nurse, who was more than willing to answer his questions.

"You're in the best hospital in the land!" The nurse said, "Our masters the Ishidas have graciously taken care of you while you were here! Some people found you outside of the town, bleeding from your right side because of a stab wound. No one in this town could help except for the Ishidas. They healed you themselves!"

"Where are my things?" Ichigo asked the nurse. "Where are my weapons and armor?"

"They are being repaired," The nurse answered. "Someone in the town knows a thing or two about the armor."

"That's not possible." Ichigo shook his head. "The people who made the armor are all dead."

"Well, I guess you're just going to wait and see what becomes of your belongings." The nurse said. "You are still very hurt. You need to rest some more."

"I'm fine." Ichigo said, but the pain on his face gave him away.

"Please, we would not want the hero of the town to get infection!" The nurse pushed Ichigo back into his room.

She closed the door and walked away. Ichigo took off the pants, and climbed back into bed. _Oh well._ Ichigo thought. _I guess I'm going to have time to sleep._

Ichigo closed his eyes, and drifted into natural sleep.

**1**

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**Two Weeks Later:**

Ulquiorra could not understand this. The Princess knew that there was a plan for her assassination to take place, but she stuck with the plan to negotiate with the Leaders of Essess. Her reasoning was that Shirosaki's men could not be trusted. If Essess truly wanted to assassinate either her or Aizen, they would have hired Shirosaki's men to do it. They had bypassed whole armies, guards, and the Imperial Elite, and were only found when they _let_ the guards know that they were there. And like how they came, they left. Not one person in Hueco Mundo saw Shirosaki's man again. Orihime left the confines of Low Noches a few days prior, and headed towards Karakura Town. Ulquiorra made his way to the throne room, and threw the doors open. Servants were surrounding Aizen, writing his orders down while other servants placed piece of armor after piece onto the King. He was getting ready for battle, and not just any battle, the battle to end all battles. Ulquiorra knew the plan well. His soldiers and all of the other Generals had already left the palace, and were headed towards their target area. Ulquiorra came back when he heard the status of his beloved Princess.

"Sir!" Ulquiorra stopped in front of the King, filled with anxiety. "Your daughter is still going along with the negotiations! Didn't Shirosaki's man tell us that Essess was planning to kill her? They will not negotiate with her, so why did you let her leave? Her guards are undertrained. She herself as never seen battle! She has never smelt the rot of corpses! She doesn't know what she's risking!"

"I understand, General Schiffer." Aizen said, shooing a few servants away for the moment so he could give the General is undivided attention. "I tried speaking to her myself. I told her the risks of her going, but she would not listen to reason. I had a few of my trusted men to investigate several members of our armies who seem to be traitorous. The investigations yielded fruit! I have let those traitors get the wrong information about where the armies are headed. After they all sent word to Essess and their allies, I had each and every member executed. Essess will know that Hueco Mundo is going to be empty of soldiers. They will think we are sending the full might of Essess towards Karakura Town. They will respond to this in kind, and send their armies there. Orihime's death would not have been in vain. Instead, we will make this into the final victory in this war. We will break down the walls of Rokungai. We will travel to the center, and we will face the King of Essess and the Royal Guard. Essess will fall! And we shall rule both Essess and Hueco Mundo. And with the forces we amass, we can begin a new frontier. We can take this world, and mold it into something grand!"

"But, it's the Princess!" Ulquiorra said. "She's too trusting in the goodness of people! She doesn't realize that we are all _monsters_, those of us that kill. You would sacrifice her good nature to aid in your campaign."

"Sacrifices must be made." Aizen replied. "I already lost several children of mine. One more will not matter. Now go to your army, General. They are waiting for you."

Ulquiorra could not believe his ears. He walked to the doors and exited the throne room as the servants continued to dress Sosuke Aizen, preparing him for the final fight. Ulquiorra walked quickly, and left the palace. He went to the stables where his horse was armored and waiting. He grabbed the reins of his horse, and stroked the beast's head.

"Well, old boy," Ulquiorra said to his horse. "It looks like we're just going to have to take things into our own hands."

Out of the darkness, another horse whinnied. Ulquiorra whipped around to see who would dare come to him in this hour. He was surprised to see it was Neliel.

"I too care for the Princess." Neliel said to Ulquiorra. "I know we have our differences, General Schiffer, but hear me. We must work together to protect the Princess."

Ulquiorra put his leg into the stirrup, and mounted his horse. Neliel kicked her horse's sides, and they both started moving, at a trot at first.

"Won't your partner be hurt by you abandoning him?" Ulquiorra asked his comrade, knowing full well about her relationship with Grimmjow.

"He loves to fight, so he will really enjoy himself." Neliel said with a faraway look in her eyes. "Pesche and Dondochakka have agreed to lead our armies, mine and yours I mean."

"You followed me, didn't you?" Ulquiorra said to her. "You are just as worried about the Princess as I am."

"Yes." Neliel admitted. "We need to hurry!"

They both whipped their reigns, and made the horses go faster. They had a long way to go to catch up with Orihime and her guards.

**2**

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"Why would you betray Aizen, after telling him of the assassination attempt?" General Commander Yamamoto said to Shirosaki's man, the same one who told Aizen about Orihime's assassination. "What does your master have to gain from all this?"

"With both kingdoms fighting each other, many will die." The man said. "He wants to cause discord and confusion. He wants you both to finish this war. He has ordered others to stop messengers on both sides. The soldiers inside Karakura Town will not get word of the attack Aizen will plan."

"You are sure that Sosuke Aizen will plan on attacking Rokungai Seireitei directly?" Yamamoto said. "You are sure his main plan is to attack the King?"

"Yes." Shirosaki's man said. "He will be planning on sending his armies to camp close to the walls of your fine city. Generals Shiba and Urahara are in Karakura Town, so they cannot help you. It would be safe to assume that Aizen's best will be coming with him to attack you."

"As much as I despise you for telling Aizen of the assassination attempt," Yamamoto said. "You were only following orders, so I need not waste time on you. I have to summon the Generals I have on hand, and prepare for the final battle in this war. I will lead the armies myself. It is a shame your master could not use his resources to help Essess."

"Technically, he has." The man said. "Orihime Inoue will die, so there will be no one to take control of Hueco Mundo again if Aizen is killed. And you will be prepared to take on Aizen and his armies. That is all I have to say."

"Very well." Yamamoto turned to his second in command, Chojiro Sasakibe, "Summon the Generals for what might be our final War Meeting."

Yamamoto turned to address Shirosaki's man once more. The man had vanished into thin air.

Sasakibe left Yamamoto in his chamber, and summoned messengers. They were sent throughout Essess to speak to the Generals of Essess. They were all to converge on the same point, and wait for further orders. Yamamoto got ready his sword and armor, and left the tower he made his orders from. The soldiers from First Division followed their General to meet with the others outside the walls of Seireitei and Rokungai…

**3**

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Ichigo had healed quickly, part because he had been blessed by Senna's magic and part because the Ishidas, their nurses, and doctors were quite skilled in their craft. Uryu did not really help that much, but he was there to show his gratitude to Ichigo's bravery. Ichigo had left the Hospital, and came back to Kurosaki Clinic. He was greeted by a crying Yuzu, who had been fretting over him. The family had not known the state Ichigo had been in, and feared the worst. Karin smiled at seeing her brother again. Isshin did not do anything violent for once. Apparently, when Ichigo was healing, the citizens of the town set to work burying the dead bodies in graves far from the town. Ichigo would have liked to join in the work, but his father had something else in mind.

"Ichigo." Isshin said while Ichigo was treated to Yuzu's special tea. "We need you here at the clinic. After working with dead bodies, some people might need to be treated for diseases. I have to work with these people, and I cannot leave the running of the store to Yuzu or Karin. I need you here to take care of things while I take care of the people."

"Are you sure you can't just close the shop?" Ichigo asked his father. "How much do people pay you anyways?"

"Well, some give what they can." Isshin smiled at the next thing: "Some people give me favors while others have yet to pay…they give I Owe You messages."

"And you don't go after them for payment?" Ichigo asked his father dumbfounded. "What's wrong with you?"

"These people are poor, Ichigo." Isshin explained. "They cannot afford it. It's my duty to take care of the people of the town because if I don't disease can spread, killing most of the population. Ishida Hospital and the other clinics would be overwhelmed, so I do my best to help the people."

"You do good work." Ichigo said. "Why didn't you heal me after I fought Kouga Kuchiki?"

"Ishida is technically still the leader of this town." Isshin sighed. "He wanted to personally see to your care. He is really impressed that you would risk everything in just a few days in order to take out the enemies that want to destroy this town, or keep it corrupt. It's a new day, Ichigo! The changes that the town has seen in the past few months have been great. The Ishidas, you and others have changed this town for the better. It's a new day, a new dawn. I have never been prouder of you Ichigo! This is something I thought I would never see!"

"It was nothing." Ichigo averted his eyes, frowning because he felt he did not deserve the praise. "I vowed that I would protect the ones I love. In order to do that, I had to make sure every single dangerous person in this town would be brought down."

"You sure did." Isshin smiled. "Well, I better get back to work."

Isshin left Ichigo in the kitchen. Ichigo hurried up and went to the store portion of the clinic. The place had been a mess, with things moved so that the windows and doors could be boarded up. Ichigo worked by himself to bring back order to the clinic. Karin had gone with several other children, including Jinta to help move bodies, and dig graves. Yuzu was tending to wounded people in the clinic. Their day went on like this, and Ichigo finished moving this around. He saw to the feeding of his horse. Kon was tired after his escapades throughout the town. Ichigo had to search high and low for his horse, and found it humping…a wagon?

_Stupid horse. _Ichigo thought. _I should eat you, and be done with taking care of you, but I might need you in the future._

Ichigo bathed his animal, and continued with cleaning the clinic. It took hours, but Ichigo was akin to a perfectionist. He made sure things were cleaned and looked attractive enough to purchase. He made sure that the clinic had enough change in case someone wanted to buy something but gave too much. He kept the sack of change in a safe, because he knew the poorer the person, the more they would be desperate and would resort to stealing the little bit of change that the clinic had. Ichigo stood behind a counter, and waited. In five hours, three people came in, and bought something.

_There's no way this clinic makes enough money. _Ichigo thought. _But then again, I got rid of the gangster leaders, so the people would not fight amongst themselves unless someone was stupid enough to form another gang._

Then, to his surprise, Chizuru, the prostitute came into the clinic.

"Ichigo!" Chizuru said happily. "How are you doing? I heard you took out the big fish of this town. How did a scrawny boy like you pull that off?"

"Get out of here." Ichigo said, but smiled, "How's your partner doing, is she getting the proper treatment?"

"Yeah." Chizuru said. "The money you gave us really helped. I decided to stop the prostitution thing. There's so much work to do in this town that no one has time for that type of thing. If I do what people need, then they will put us up for a while. There are some kind people who don't care that I'm gay! I can't believe it. You really changed things. Kids are playing in the streets. Older people are taking walks, and planting gardens again! No one used to do this because the gangs would interfere, or there was the fear that they would. The rich are even beginning to shop in the poorer districts! That means more money will come down here, and help people a lot. There is still the stench of rotting bodies, but you get used to it after a while."

"I don't know about you." Ichigo said. "But I can't get that disgusting smell of the bodies out of my head. I still feel sick! Facing those motherfuckers, geez!"

"Well, I better get going." Chizuru said. "It was nice seeing you again."

Chizuru turned to leave.

"Hey wait, isn't there something you need from the clinic?" Ichigo asked the girl, who turned back to him.

"Well, I was wondering if you guys had anything to eat." Chizuru blushed as her stomach growled. "But this is a health clinic, is it not?"

"I'm sure Yuzu can whip something up," Ichigo replied. "Hang on."

Ichigo opened the door to the other section of the clinic with the beds. The smell met him as he entered the room. Some of them could only stay in bed, they were so sick. Isshin was busy tending to an elderly man, who was coughing up mucous. Ichigo spotted Yuzu, who had a cloth tied around her face to shield her mouth and nose.

"Hey," Ichigo called for Yuzu. "Does the clinic sell any food?"

"There are Red Bean Paste-filled pastries on the shelf closest to the wall on the right." Yuzu replied, but then turned back to the person she was tending to.

"Yuzu, darling!" Isshin called. "Some of our guests have filled their pans!"

"Daddy!" Yuzu groaned.

Ichigo did not stay to see what they were talking about. Ichigo found a stool, and put in near the high shelf. He climbed up and grabbed a parcel. He climbed down carefully, and opened it. It was a pastry.

"Here!" Ichigo said, while looking through a book filled with prices. "It only costs two copper pieces."

Chizuru looked through her purse, trying to find anything that looked like money.

"Shit!" Chizuru cursed, pulling out a steel button and a single copper piece. "I-I don't have."

Ichigo opened her hand, and stuffed it with the pastry, which made Chizuru widen her eyes.

"You never stop doing it," Chizuru smiled sadly. "You keep being so nice to me. If I was not gay…do you think…?"

"I don't know." Ichigo said, averting his eyes.

"Thank you, Ichigo!" Chizuru said, turning to leave.

When she left, Ichigo exhaled. She had changed. She was no longer wearing slutty clothes like before. She was also not wearing make-up. Was that how normal girls looked like? Ichigo did not know. He put the copper piece into the sack with the change. He sat back on the stool, spinning the steel button until it was time to close the shop. Although it was time to close, Yuzu and Isshin stayed with the patients late into the night. Karin came home for dinner, which Yuzu and Ichigo made in haste. The family had dinner together, with Isshin giving Ichigo a noogie before Ichigo stomped on his foot. Karin giggled while Yuzu scorned the two men for acting such a way. They ate quickly, because there was still work to do. Karin had had a busy day, so she went to bed. She had said that Jinta and a few other orphans were taken in by one of the elderly ladies. They did their best and she fed them.

Ichigo told Yuzu that he would aid her in the taking care of the patients. Isshin did some paper work while Ichigo and Yuzu made sure every patient were comfortable to sleep. They emptied their bedpans into a barrel which Ichigo would take using a wagon and Kon in the morning to a dumping place outside the town. When everyone was asleep, Yuzu went up to her room to sleep. A few lanterns were still lit in the Clinic room for the patients. Isshin led Ichigo upstairs to a small room, which had once been used as storage. After the Kouga Kuchiki incident, and before Ichigo came back home, Isshin and the girls emptied the room, and placed a mat inside for him to sleep on. Ichigo thanked his father very much, but he could not sleep. He went down and found his weapons.

The men and women of the town had gone through the battlefield, and found Ichigo's weapons, bringing it back to the Kurosaki Clinic. The person who was repairing Ichigo's armor had yet to return the suit. Also, the device that he had used for the shield was being repaired. Ichigo felt useless, so he went upstairs, and lit a candle in his room. He changed into sleeping clothes, and prayed. He prayed for Zang, Senna, and Masaki, his mother. He felt content that he was now where he belonged. He no longer had to wake up at early hours in order to train. He no longer had to fight anyone or anything. It felt strange. Sure, some Essess soldiers were in the town, but that was common knowledge. They had established themselves in the richest part of the town and trained, ate, drank, and did whatever they wanted to their heart's content. They never helped the townspeople, but they did stay out of their way. Perhaps Ichigo should perform a reconnaissance mission to see what these soldiers were up to?

**4**

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Time went by in Karakura Town, Essess and Hueco Mundo. Those going to war marched, while Orihime had been pulled in a carriage while her guards rode either on top of the carriage, or on other horses. The guards' names were Ayame and Lily who were females, and Baigon, Hinagiku, Shun'o, and Tsubaki who were all male (Shun'o appears to be female, but is male…yeah I was like what the fuck, too? :S). The females rode the carriage while the males rode the horses (Not the horses pulling the wagon). They were also travelling with four donkeys that carried things for the Princess and the guards. They came over a hill, the same one Ichigo and his family had travelled up, and saw the town. They went around the town, and came to one of the gates, which was open wide. As the carriage entered the town, passersby stood and watched. There were some cheers from Hueco Mundo refugees as the recognized the Family Crest of Aizen-Inoue. Isshin Kurosaki took Kon, and travelled through the city. He was to be the guide for the Princess, and had to find her quickly.

The Carriage stopped when they were all well into the town. Orihime was helped out of the carriage by Shun'o, and she waved to everyone. She wore a simple white dress, and her hair was done up with clips, and a gold hair piece in the back. She looked elegant yet refined. She was fit to be called a Princess, yet humble enough to show that she was providing a service to the people. Isshin rode up, and got off Kon, who looked to a fat man that was next to him and whinnied... Isshin was wearing his best clothes. He smiled at the Princess…as Kisuke Urahara looked on from the crowd.

"We've been expecting you all." Isshin said to the princess. "Hello, Princess Orihime Inoue of Hueco Mundo and welcome to Karakura Town. My name is Isshin Kurosaki and I shall be your guide to everything in this town. You must be all exhausted from your travels. Please let me guide you to the building we have made especially for you."

"As the Royal guide," Orihime beamed knowingly. "Would it not be custom to have room wherever you live for us?"

"Ugh…" Isshin was taken aback by this. "Well you see, I run a Clinic in the poorer section of this town, and it's not fit for-"

"Even better!" Orihime interrupted and gave a dazzling smile. "We can put the patients into luxury while we stay with you; our guide. You do know that we are here for work, not pleasure. Your building will be put to use as the temporary clinic, and I will even offer you my two guards who are specialized also as healers to help the people. Ayame and Shun'o will help the people!"

"Yes Princess!" The two guards said together.

Isshin laughed sheepishly. _Damn._ He thought. _If they don't stay in the building which can be destroyed, then the back-up plan will have to do…_

Isshin looked for Kon. The fat man was punching him, and trying to get away. Kon would grab the man's clothes with his jaws, and pull the fat man towards him, mount him and-

Isshin quickly grabbed the reigns, pulling Kon away. He threw his leg over Kon, and started leading the Princess and her guards towards the clinic.

**5**

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Where the fuck is the Chinese flag? You got Canada, Mexico, U.S., Korea… Korea? Are you kidding me? But I don't want to say anything bad because Kim Jong IL, he's a gangster motherfucker. Japan…Japan's not good at Olympics, they're good at making my motherfucking T.V., Plasma Screen. 55 Inch LCD Motherfucker, Come on!! How about I take down all you flags and put up all Chinese flags, what do you say about that? (To someone walking by:) What are you looking at?

**Author's Note: **Oh, if you want to watch real Peter Chao, go to YouTube, and look for PyroBooby. Insulting, Vulgar, Racist, Sexist, Chinese Boy Living in Canada who wears SunGlasses every video. He could be funny, but the things he says are disturbing. LOL He doesn't even know Martial Arts, Racist MotherFucker. On with story:

_**~~~FOR THE REAL MEETING OF ORIHIME AND ICHIGO GO DOWN HERE!!!!~~~**_

Ichigo tapped his finger on the counter of the clinic store and sighed as he sat on the stool. The day was just dragging on with minimal customers. There was no word yet about the assassination of the Princess. Apparently she had come into the city. Ichigo figured he would not see her, and didn't really think about it. Karin and Yuzu were now in charge of the patients. Two had left, but that left twelve that the Kurosaki's would help. Ichigo thought about closing early and making a dish he had learned to make at Shirosaki's Monastery from Senna…He didn't know why, but he felt like singing…

Meanwhile, Orihime spoke with Isshin, who seemed to be anxious about taking the Princess to his home. The guards remained silent. Isshin tried his best at telling jokes, but as they were nearing Kurosaki Clinic, they heard someone singing. Orihime shushed Isshin, and made the group stop as she came closer to the clinic to listen at the person singing:

"…full of broken thoughts, I cannot repair." Ichigo sang, putting his passion and soul into the song as he remembered all those lost and the despair he felt at possibly losing someone else. "Beneath the stains of time, the feelings disappear. You are someone else; I am still right here. What have I become? My sweetest friend; everyone I know goes away in the end. And you could have it all, my empire of dirt…

…I will let you down, I will make you hurt…"

Brown eyes met Grey. The dazzling smile, the auburn hair, the two blue hairclips at the sides…Her dress, her shoes, her make-up only brought out her inner beauty. Ichigo's breath was taken away. Orihime had thought that Hueco Mundo had the best singers and performers, but she had never heard a song so beautiful; filled with deep emotion as the one Ichigo had just serenaded her with. Ichigo could feel heat go to his cheeks. Not only did this woman hear him singing, but he was wearing dirty clothes and an apron. His hair was a mess. But she…was wearing clothes that could feed many children despite its plain look.

"That was beautiful." Orihime said to Ichigo, who smiled back at her, laughing a bit.

"I didn't think anyone heard it…" Ichigo averted his eyes.

Suddenly, there was the sound of someone's tummy growling, and it was Orihime's turn to feel embarrassed. She laughed while scratching the back of her head.

"I heard this clinic has Red Bean Paste-filled pasteries!" Orihime said. "Could I have one?"

Ichigo took the stool and walked over to the shelf where the pastry was. Orihime was merely feet away, and for some reason, Ichigo felt anxiety as he came closer to her. He climbed up, and tried reaching for a parcel that would contain a pastry. Being poorly made, one of the stool legs snapped, and Ichigo fell. He had gotten one of the parcels, and raised it up to Orihime, who had run over to him to see if he was alright. She knelt down while taking the parcel, but took his hand, pulling him up to his feet.

"I'm sorry it was my fault for making you get the pastry!" Orihime apologized quickly.

"No, it was mine." Ichigo said. "I should have fixed the stool, or grabbed a ladder."

They both laughed quietly, while an uneasy silence filled the room. That was when Orihime's nostrils were filled with a distinct yet earthy smell. It was familiar, but what could it be? She ignored it, and would think about it later. Meanwhile, Isshin had come into the store after Orihime, heard a little bit of the song Ichigo sung, and what had been done.

"May I see the patients, _Ichigo_?" She asked him.

"Sure, right this way." Ichigo led her to the door to the room with the patients, but stopped dead in his tracks.

Never once did he say his name and in all the days that Ichigo had been in Karakura Town, the only person he gave a Red-Bean-Paste-Filled Pastry was to Chizuru. Ichigo opened the door hastily, and ushered Orihime into the room, and she was followed closely by Shun'o and Ayame. Isshin came close, and pulled Ichigo so they could speak privately.

"Ichigo, that's her." Isshin said. "That's the Princess of Hueco Mundo! If you ever get an opening, you take it Ichigo. You have got to _kill_ her."

"I can't." Ichigo replied.

"What?" Isshin said.

"She knows my name." Ichigo said. "Did you tell her about me?"

"No, I never told her anything." Isshin said confused, "What does knowing your name have to do with anything?"

"I might be a strong warrior, and she might have heard that I was in Shirosaki's group. Her guards are with her now, and the rest are outside, but that doesn't mean that they will let her out of their sight. If she knows the things that I did, then our family will be in trouble."

Orihime and her guards came back out, and she looked at Isshin, sighing quietly before she spoke.

"I dub this building and part of the land surrounding it," Orihime said, raising a scepter that was given to her by one of her guards. "The Karakura Domain of Hueco Mundo!"

"What?" Isshin and Ichigo said.

"How can you do this?" Isshin said to the Princess, standing over her defiantly. "This whole town is neutral in the war, you can't just take my place of business-"

"You and your son will hereby be my _protectors_." Orihime interrupted. "As an ex-General from Essess, and a warrior from Shirosaki's Monastery, you both are more than capable to take on this task. That is especially because of the group of Essess warriors that are here, waiting to assassinate me."

"How did you know that there was a plot of this kind?" Isshin asked.

"I am the Princess of Hueco Mundo." She replied proudly. "I was given the assignment months ago, so I did what I had to. I bought who I needed, and I investigated this town down to every last detail. But then, something happened. Someone came and changed things, _forever_. It cost me more after that after I learned the changes that happened because of you, Ichigo Kurosaki. Because of you, I had to spend more money, ask more questions, and keep the spies in this town so that I could understand this town more and be able to do what I have to. But it was hard to get information on you. But I did find information: A family who used to farm is now very wealthy in Hueco Mundo. They are becoming famous because one of their boys has the abilities of a Miko."

_Senna's family._ Ichigo thought. _Zang must have told them about me, Senna, and more importantly, what we do or did at Shirosaki's Monastery._

"If you knew of the plot," Ichigo stepped forward. "Why are you here? Surely you realize that no negotiations are going to happen. Did you just come because you want to fight? Is that what it is?"

"No." Orihime said. "I am here because I need to tell the leaders of this town that Hueco Mundo wants it to become part of our Nation. There doesn't need to be blood spilt over this. As long as I'm with the two of you, the members of Essess will not fight against you."

"You can't ask me to fight against those people!" Isshin said, raising his voice. "They are the best Essess has to offer. They really believe that terminating you will bring the morale down of Hueco Mundo's soldiers and people. They will lose hope in Sosuke Aizen, and they will abandon him. That's the plan."

"There's just one flaw with your plan." Orihime said softly. "My father, Aizen, uses mind controlling techniques on creatures and disobedient soldiers. Killing me might hurt some people, but if you think that my father will stop ruling because I'm dead, you have another thing coming. He will be enraged once he hears of my death, and he will fight harder and faster than before. He will use his magic to turn the soldiers against the Generals of Essess, and that country will fall. My country will be victorious."

Isshin turned away, and started pacing. Her death would be meaningless, or would it? How much did Aizen love his daughter? And if he controls people, why did he need an army for? What could he gain becoming the ruler of Essess and still be in control of Hueco Mundo? There was something missing.

"Tomorrow," Orihime said to Isshin, who just looked at her. "You will take me to the Church in the middle of the town. Send word to the leaders of the town that I want to meet them there. All I need for an answer is a 'yes' or a 'no', and after that I will leave."

"Fine." Isshin said in defeat. "Ichigo, get Kon and go tell the Ishidas about the plan. I don't think the Essess Generals here will like this."

Orihime went outside and summoned her guards together. They needed beds, so they were going to help take the patients from Kurosaki Clinic and take them to the building that Karakura Town had set up. They would be safe there, because no one would hurt the patients.

Isshin saddled up some of the horses and a wagon. He and the guards took the patients there while Ichigo went to speak to Uryu and Ryuken.

**

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**

Ichigo knocked on the Hospital doors. He heard a voice beckoning him, and he walked into the office. Uryu was busy making some sort of quilt design while Ryuken did paper work.

"The Princess of Hueco Mundo wishes to speak to you both." Ichigo said. "She thinks that it's time for this town to choose a side. All she needs is a 'yes' or 'no'. And then she will leave."

It started out as a quiet laugh, and then grew louder and more hysterical. Ichigo looked back to see who was causing such a ruckus.

"And I thought _my_ jokes were bad." Shirosaki said, as he walked into the office.

Ichigo launched at Shirosaki, but someone kicked his back, making him fall down. Ichigo's back hurt, and he tried to get up as Rirrin punched his face to the side. Ichigo side-stepped and the two combatants started fighting.

Out of the shadows came more of Shirosaki's men and women. They had Ichigo and the Ishidas surrounded. Ryuken lit up a cigarette as Uryu looked on, unmoving.

"What the hell is this?" Ichigo seethed at the Ishidas. "You guys are aligned with him?"

"There's nothing we can do, boy." Ryuken said insultingly. "He would have destroyed this town if we had not given into his demands."

Two men came up behind Ichigo, and tried to subdue him. He fought back, and used fast movements to keep them at bay. However, someone moved faster. Shirosaki kneed Ichigo in the back, and used a well placed punch to wind Ichigo. Ichigo remained on his feet, and lashed out. Shirosaki leapt over Ichigo, and punched Ichigo several times in the face. Ichigo kicked out at Shirosaki, but the man grabbed Ichigo's leg, and threw him on the wall. The two men grabbed both of Ichigo's arms, as others came closer to him. Shirosaki went over to a chair and sat down.

"It's been a while, Ichigo." Shirosaki said. "You heard Miss Inoue, didn't you? Oh wait that's right, you were serenading her with your melodious voice!"

"You stupid shit head!" Ichigo tried to yell, but it came out as a whisper since he was still winded.

"The Princess thinks this town and the people could help Hueco Mundo?" Shirosaki said. "Why? There's nothing here anymore. There's no prostitutes, no drugs; you made these people look at themselves and now they are deciding to change for the better. What would Hueco Mundo do to a town like this? Oh, right! Aizen would make these people pay taxes and make children join the armies! He would control these people and spread his stories around so people could learn about him. Some people will worship him while others will fear his power. Essess' plan to kill the Princess is still going to happen, Ichigo. And there's nothing you can do to stop it. Aizen used her as a tool, to get people to side with him. She still believes that he's going to do good for the people. She wants her country to be looked at as something great. Is she being controlled by Aizen? Perhaps. Essess wants this town, too. As its Knight, you should have done your due diligence before she came. Tsk, tsk."

Ichigo looked to the people in the room. None of them could look him in the eye.

"Essess and Hueco Mundo are at war." Ichigo reasoned out loud. "So naturally, they would attack each other here at a town that doesn't belong to each of them. The conflict will involve my family, so let me go, and I will protect Yuzu, Karin, and the old man. That's all I will do."

"You're missing the point." Shirosaki sighed. "I'm here, alive and kicking. Ever wonder why?"

"You're the master, you tell me." Ichigo said.

"I don't like wars." Shirosaki said. "There's too much calculating and planning to do. I'm a man who lives in the moment. I don't plan, I act. Aizen is going to die, and I have made this happen. The strongest man in Hueco Mundo will die, and this war comes to an end, and with the Princess out of the way, guess what happens to Hueco Mundo?"

"You're going to take it over and rebuild." Ichigo said. "You're going to train everybody to be like how they were in the Monastery. You're going to make us all killers, and when Essess' guards are down, you are going to strike-"

Shirosaki burst out laughing.

"Fool!" Shirosaki said. "What would I do with a country? What I want is Anarchy to rule. The rich in Hueco Mundo will fight for power, or will indulge in whatever they wish to. The poor will also fight the rich to get more for their feeble lives. And then, I can focus on Essess. No one has seen this king of Essess who values his privacy more than the people. He's supposedly the purest being in Essess. My next plan is to bring the best of the best down…"

"You've waited all these years in the Monastery." Ichigo said. "You trained people, and still it burned down. You trained me, Senna, Zang, Gamma, and all the rest. What for?"

"I was waiting for the precious metal, Ichigo." Shirosaki said, unsheathing both of his swords. "The pure white metal and pure black metal came from the sky. The Monastery was designed so that we could use the metal."

"Sounds like you have a plan." Ichigo said, "Shirosaki, you're just talking nonsense because you're stalling. What are you planning?"

Shirosaki smiled.

"By now, your father has put all of the patients into the building." Shirosaki said, eerily. "And one of my people is going to make it fall."

Ichigo flipped himself over the two men who were holding him. He grabbed their heads and slammed them together. He slipped masterly from a window and was gone, heading towards the building.

"So it begins." Shirosaki said while looking out the window.

_**GoldDragon08**_: About the remark that Peter Chao doesn't do Martial Arts and is racist. The point of the joke is to make myself look racist. I got that from another video on YouTube. Anyways, I am disappointed with the way Orihime and Ichigo's first meeting went. I promise the next time will be better!


	13. Chapter 13

**Knight of Karakura Town: Chapter Thirteen**

_**GoldDragon08:**_ **What would be the best way to portray sex between Ichigo and Orihime in a realistic sense?** Should I bother, should I just say they had torrid sex and try to describe what I think it looks like? Or should I say that even though it only lasted a few seconds, they really loved each other, and continued to enjoy each other's body without even thinking about orgasms. Orihime and Ichigo just met...but people have one-night-stands all the time...But would a Princess and a Knight do it? So what would be the honorable thing to do?

**BIG MOTHERFUCKING SPOILER: **Orihime will not die in this story, no. But read on.

**

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Ichigo ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He saw a horse sleeping in someone's stall, but he ignored it. It would take too much time to wake the animal up, so he had to get to the building his father was putting patients in before it fell down. He was dead set on getting there and stop people from dying. But of course, it could not be easy as four people on horses caught up with him. Two had crossbows and two had lances. Ichigo kept running, looking back.

These soldiers were full armored, and had more weapons. Ichigo was running in shoes with holes in them. His pants and shirt were hand me downs from his father. He kept running as they surrounded him. They were coming closer and closer to him, trying to box him in. They were soldiers Ichigo trained with, people he grew up with. Ichigo remembered sharing meals with these people. He had laughed with these people, and cried as other soldiers came back to the Monastery in body bags. They looked at him, all with grim expressions as they brought their weapons to bear. Ichigo was in a dire situation, and the building was far away.

The two with lances stabbed simultaneously. Ichigo stepped on the one to the right, jumped up, and slammed his elbow into the person's head as the lance fell down, tripping one of the horses, making it stumble. A crossbow fired randomly because of the lance tripping the horse. Ichigo sat behind the man on the horse, and the man tried stabbing backwards with one knife in his left hand. Ichigo grabbed the arm, and put it into an arm bar, wrenching the knife away from his grasp.

A lance was thrust to Ichigo, who threw the knife at the person with the lance's horse's hoof. The horse whinnied in protest, and slowed as the lance drifted away. Ichigo grabbed the head of the man he was riding the horse with, and wrapped his arm around the person's neck, squeezing the throat as he pressed three areas on the person. The person thrashed, and pulled Ichigo's hair, but soon lost consciousness. Ichigo pushed the body off the horse, and took the reins, making the horse go faster. The man whose horse's hoof was wounded could not keep up with the rest, and threw his lance as the soldiers with crossbows fired at Ichigo. Ichigo caught one arrow bare handed, and used the arrow to knock the other one from the air. He punched the lance that fell towards him. He threw the arrow head at the archer right behind him. The archer clutched their chest, but kept riding.

The two soldiers caught up to Ichigo, riding on either side. They aimed their crossbows at Ichigo, and fired simultaneously. Ichigo caught both arrows in both hands, and broke them, flinging both arrow heads at the horses' hooves, hurting the animals so that they would lose speed. Ichigo continued to edge his horse forward faster and faster. The two soldiers aimed for Ichigo's horse's hooves and prepared to fire. Ichigo ripped the reigns from the horse, and flung it back, snapping only one arrow before it did any damage. Thankfully, the other arrow missed by chance. Ichigo entered a crowded alleyway that was too small. The horses were funneled through and had to travel one at a time. Ichigo brought his legs up, and stood on the horse, launching himself backwards.

The archer right behind him could not act, and Ichigo kicked them off the horse, and he land in the saddle. Ichigo had kicked the soldier with both legs backward, and grabbed the reigns so that he could get onto the horse. The last soldier behind him made the horse jump over the body of his fallen comrade. They loaded the cross-bow and aimed at Ichigo's back. They made it out of the alleyway, and Ichigo made his horse veer hard right, so when the solder shot the arrow, he missed, but it grazed Ichigo's horse's backside. Ichigo made his horse come up to the side of the archer's horse, as they sped towards the building Isshin Kurosaki was taking the patients of his clinic to. Ichigo had gotten so close to the soldier that they were fighting for the cross-bow, which was not loaded at this time. In a final move, Ichigo snapped the cross-bow string, rendering the weapon useless.

The soldier threw the weapon away, and unsheathed a katana. Ichigo made the horse veer hard right again, and this time made his horse come away from the soldier. The soldier made his horse follow Ichigo. They went in between two buildings, and the soldier with the katana covered ground, catching up to Ichigo. He was going to thrust the sword into Ichigo's back, but Ichigo kicked back with both legs, not only kicking the person's sword away, but slamming his foot into the soldier's head. The soldier fell off the horse.

Now alone, Ichigo made the horse he was riding turn to go to the building that Ichigo's father was putting the patients in. He could see that some rooms were lit, and were probably inhabited. Ichigo slowed the horse down, and jumped from the saddle some distance away, he ran to the building-

And it exploded, the roof being launched sky-high from explosives that were placed in the building. It was more than the explosives Isshin had planned to put in the building. Someone had put in 300 times the amount of explosives that were supposed to be in the building to bring it down. Ichigo was thrown back by the force of the explosion. He landed hard into a fence, breaking it apart and lost consciousness as his head landed at an unnatural position on the cold hard ground and blood rushed from his body from the many cuts and wounds on his body…

**

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**

Yuzu was busy making a meal for the Princess Orihime. She had eaten the pastry that Ichigo had given her, but she asked politely if Yuzu could cook a full meal. Being of a kind nature, Yuzu made a meal for Orihime and the four guards (Shun'o and Ayame went with the patients and Isshin Kurosaki 0.o). Karin presumed that the Princess would want to be left alone with her guards, and opted to stay outside the Kurosaki residence. Orihime sat at the small table with her guards all around. They tasted the meal, and commented on how well Yuzu cooked, except Tsubaki being the asshole he is, said it was nothing to get overly excited about. However, he was the first one to finish the meal, _and_ ask for seconds, which Yuzu gladly obliged to give. Clearly content, Tsubaki left the table, toothpick in mouth. He excused himself from the table and went to the front door because he thought he heard some noises from outside, and was going to tell whoever was making the ruckus to keep it down. He opened the door-

DOOM!!

Tsubaki was blown to shit as a cannon ball collided with his body. His blood and innards coated the whole house as the cannon blast ripped Tsubaki through the house. His body came to rest in the backyard of the house. He was dead. The guards had reacted and got Yuzu and Orihime out of the way of the cannon blast, and unsheathed their various weapons. The cannon ball had destroyed walls, the table, and the back door. Yuzu and Orihime were told to go into the cellar, but as they were going, they saw someone come into the house. He had long orange hair, but it was tied up in such a way people would not tell it was long, and he was wearing black clothes.

"Ichigo?" Yuzu said; her anxiety filling her as she passed the guards as the person with orange hair walked in, not wearing any mask…

"Miss Kurosaki, wait!" Baigon cried, running forward.

A white blade erupted from Baigon's back, and it twisted, slicing through his body like a hot knife through butter. Blood exploded from his body, and Yuzu screamed as cold hands grabbed her neck, and tossed her backwards. The man stepped into the light for the rest to see.

"Mister Kurosaki, what's the meaning of this?" Lilly asked the man, who sneered as he waved his blood covered sword to and fro. "Why are you doing this?"

Orihime screamed as three other soldiers entered the residence from the backdoor, which was destroyed since Tsubaki was blown through it. Orihime's personal guards fought with the assailants that had come in, giving their all. By now, you all know the man who killed Baigon is Shirosaki, so I won't waste any time. He hung back as Lilly and Hinagiku fought his men and women. The soldiers were _toying_ with Orihime's guards, making them believe that Orihime's guards had the upper-hand. Shirosaki pounced, and decapitated Hinakigu while smashing his white sword into Lilly's, cutting it in half. Blood spewed everywhere, and Orihime watched in horror as Shirosaki's men overwhelmed Lilly, using clubs and brass-knuckles to subdue her. Two held onto her, and pulled her hair to look at Shirosaki, who kicked Hinagiku's body away. The other soldier raised a knife to Orihime's neck in a threatening manner.

"My, my." Shirosaki said. "You were having so much fun, too; eating with your little pals."

Meanwhile, Yuzu was struggling with Rirrin who was trying to keep the girl under control. Yuzu got out of Rirrin's grasp, and ran to Orihime, and the two girls backed away. Neither knew the fate of Karin Kurosaki…

"You bastard!" Lilly spat at Shirosaki. "You won't get away with killing the Princess."

"I don't give a fuck about killing the Princess." Shirosaki replied, "She has no fighting spirit; she let all of you die for her, and is now hiding behind Ichigo's sister."

"So you are not Ichigo." Orihime said, while coming to stand in front of Yuzu, making sure to stand her whole height. "Who are you, and why did you kill my guards?"

"Well, you see…" Shirosaki sauntered over to stand face-to-face to Orihime, who could see nothing but malice in his yellow eyes. "I don't give a fucking rat's shit about your stupid war with Essess. All I want is to have fun. Tomorrow, Ichigo's going to come back, and he _will_ lead you into the trap, and you will die. You will die because you want to save his sisters!"

Rirrin grabbed Yuzu, and used the butt of a knife to swiftly knock the girl out. Another soldier came in and took Yuzu from Rirrin. Orihime could only watch as Yuzu was carried out of the house. She could see that Karin was in a similar state, being carried by another soldier, on their shoulder. Orihime looked back to Shirosaki.

"Why are you helping the soldiers of Essess?" She asked, puzzled. "And since you are here, why don't you kill me yourself?"

"Look around you, sister." Shirosaki said. "It's the night. Not one person will see. Tomorrow, the church is bound to have people, mixed people, some even from Hueco Mundo. When people see the assassination by Essess soldiers, they will know that they're screwed, and they will give into sadness, madness, and death. Don't worry; I won't dare lay a finger on you…"

Shirosaki looked away from Orihime, and walked over to Lilly, who struggled against her captors as Shirosaki's shadow fell on her.

"…But I do need to leave a message."

* * *

Ichigo tried to move. His head hurt when he tried to move. His ears were ringing, and he was sure they were leaking crimson blood. He tried to breathe. Everything hurt, and his wounds were screaming for attention. Ichigo opened his eyes. He found that he could only see out of one, as blood got into the other one. He gritted his teeth as he tried lifting his head. The area was lit with the fire that still raged from the burning remains of the building. Ichigo looked at his body. A huge piece of wood was embedded into his right bicep. He tried moving his right hand, and found that two of the fingers were twisted and broken, hurting like hell. His left hand screamed in pain, and all he could see was blood coming from many wounds on that arm. Wood was covering the rest of his body, and Ichigo was sure some of the pieces had stabbed right through him. Ichigo laid his head back as nausea hit him. He tried turning his head, but he could feel nothing but pain. He threw up, and gagged because the warm liquid could not escape him. He coughed and gagged. He tried to get up, oh he so wanted to move, but he couldn't.

There was nothing he could do. There was no amount of training that he had that prepared him for this. He tried arching his back, and he felt something move in his body, and he threw up over his nose and eyes, into his hair. His windpipe was now clear, but now he could not see, and the liquid had filled his nose. He could hear horse hooves, and then footfalls as someone came to him. Dread, fear, and rage filled Ichigo.

_No! _He thought bitterly. _I failed dad…He's dead, and Shirosaki's people are here now. They might kill me right now because I'm in a miserable state and can't fight back. Or they might leave me here to die, because that's how twisted Shirosaki is. Yuzu, Karin…The Princess…I won't see any of them again…At least I can say that I tried…Fuck! I don't want to die! _

Tears of agony and sorrow came out of Ichigo's eyes, and he cried quietly as he heard the steps stop close to him. He could not hold it in anymore. He sobbed uncontrollably. Shirosaki had won. The war between Essess and Hueco Mundo would end with Aizen being abandoned because of the soldiers losing faith after Orihime's death, and the King of Essess would be brought into the streets for all to see, and Shirosaki would kill him…Leaving both countries and Karakura Town a wreck.

Something hit Ichigo's chest, right where his heart was. Ichigo braced for the worst, but what filled him was sweetness and warmth. He opened his eyes, and looked at his body…

It was healed…

And Ichigo was standing in front of the Kurosaki house…the _old_ Kurosaki house before it burned down. Ichigo looked around him. It was sunny and bright. Was this a memory? Ichigo could see everything, and he heard his father laughing with his sisters, but it was different. They were the age they were now: 14. Ichigo could see them playing in a field. He looked at the house…and fell to his knees as fresh tears came to his eyes…

Standing in the doorway was Masaki Kurosaki.

"Mom." Ichigo tried to say, but nothing came out of his mouth.

Masaki walked forward. She was not a day older than the day before she had died. She was beautiful, a symbol of all that was good and pure in the world. No wonder Isshin, Karin, and Yuzu seemed so carefree…

Masaki came to Ichigo, who stood up. He was a few inches taller than her now, and she looked so fragile, as if a wisp of air could blow her to dust. Ichigo couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't control the stream of tears that kept falling. They were not tears of sadness…He was happy. Masaki did not speak, but only smiled at her son. She came up to him, and he crashed into her as sobs overcame him. He didn't care if anyone else saw, and he held her tightly, realizing that he might be holding her _too_ tight. He let go, and apologized fervently.

"I'm sorry Mom," Ichigo said, trying to collect himself. "I'm so sorry for everything. I was the reason you died. You protected me! I am forever grateful. Do you hate me; do you hate what I've become?"

"I could never hate my little boy." Masaki told him. "I have watched you grow up, and I have always been with you, during the good times, and during the trying times. Believe in me, Ichigo, and you will triumph over this evil that plagues the world."

"I've killed people, Mom!" Ichigo said. "I would not let someone like me near Karin or Yuzu. Dad has no idea."

"You've barely killed twenty people, it's true." Masaki said. "You had the best intentions, but you still killed them. I can forgive you for these things, because although you may have become someone else, you still love our family and want to protect them. You are still my son. You wanted to start a new life, not one with fighting but one with peace. Remember these words, War can never bring peace. Only Love and Kindness can bring peace."

"What would you have me do should I face Shirosaki? He's done horrible things, and he's planning the worst things to happen. Some men can't be bought, threatened, or reasoned with. They just want to watch the world burn."

"Love them still. For they do not know what it is they do. I can't control your sword. Only you can. Remember that no matter what, I love you. So do your sisters, your father…The Miko Senna, and even your Master Zang. They all care for you in different ways. You can be the one to make the choices no one else will make: The Right Choice."

"Mom, I-I don't know what I might become when I face Shirosaki…I, uh, I think that the only way to stop him might be to kill him. And I don't know about the assassins that want to kill the Princess. She hasn't done anything wrong! I don't want to kill her, and I don't want other people to hurt her either! What can I do?"

"Fight the good fight, Ichigo. Live without regrets and without looking back. Do good deeds more than bad ones. I'll be waiting for you. I miss you all, but I am with you, always…"

"Mom, Mom, MOM!!"

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A small red piece of cloth blew like dust in the wind. On it was written a blessing to whoever had the small trinket. It could only be used for that person…It continued to blow in the wind unhindered, until a fist grasped it. Isshin Kurosaki looked at the small charm that Masaki had made and given to him years ago. The fire still blazed behind him, where the building had exploded. Isshin walked a few meters until he came to a house with a broken fence. There were traces of blood here and there, as well as pieces of cloth. It looked like a body had been thrown into the fence, totally knocking it down. Sure he had dropped the charm onto Ichigo's chest, but it had been over an hour, and Isshin had to check on the patients. They were all safe inside homes of residents. He came back to see how his son had fared, but Ichigo was not in sight. Isshin guessed it was for the best.

"Did the blessing work, Kurosaki?" A man said from behind Isshin asked.

"Of course it did." Isshin replied. "He's gone now, but you know what's going to happen now. He's not going to give up easily without a fight. Why did you warn us about Shirosaki's plan to kill me and the patients?"

Isshin turned around to give the man his full, undivided attention. Zang stood erect, hair pulled back into a ponytail, and he was wearing black armor. A sword was in a sheath on his left side. There were other knives and weapons sheathed on his body. Isshin was still wearing his best clothes from welcoming Orihime to the town. Suddenly, a blue stream of light shot up into the sky from a location in the town. Isshin and Zang watched in amazement, shielding their eyes; the beam was so bright. It could probably be seen for miles.

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_**GoldDragon08:**__ I can Dance all day, I can Dance all day, Try Hitting me, Try Hitting me, Come On…Boom Headshot, Yeah!!_

Chang Ly was mayor of a Grand Hueco Mundo City for 34 years. He still looked young for his age, and still had black hair although there was white and grey showing. It was a beautiful night. The stars were shining, and the moon was bright. Suddenly, there was a blue flash in the distance, and a streak of light went up into the sky. Chang Ly did not know what to make of it. Suddenly, he sensed his loyal and trusted advisor walk up to him.

"Evening, Sho." Ly said. "What do you make of this queer light?"

The advisor Sho, walked to stand beside the mayor.

"It signifies a symbol we have been taught about many years ago." Sho explained. "My Master has been planning something big for years now. He has trained all the right people, and is now prepared to act."

Sho unsheathed a small knife. Chang looked at him surprised. Sho sidestepped Chang, and wrapped his left arm around the mayor's head, covering his mouth as he slit his throat, Chang screaming and bit into Sho'a fingers as his precious blood left his body and it collapsed in a heap. Two of Shirosaki's soldiers appeared from the shadows.

"Let's go." Sho said to the soldiers, and they followed him.

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"I want to go to heaven! I want to go to heaven! I want to go to heaven! I want…"

Her mouth was a big O as her small fists grasped the fabric that was beneath her. Her legs were being held up near her head as her partner moaned in ecstasy as he continued rubbing his naked body against hers, thrusting his member into her and out, over and over. Her sweat made her hair cling to her face and shoulders. She was the most beautiful women in all of Essess, or so was titled. The Nobleman screwing her was a fat degenerate, in command of not one, but two towns that manufactured arrows and sold corn, supplying Essess' war efforts. His stench reeked of alcohol, food, and body odor. He was drunk, but knew well enough to fuck. He never waxed or shaved his body, so his pubic hair was like bush, the hair coarse and ever shedding. He rarely bathed and right now he had boils and other blemishes all over his body. Since he was wealthy, he wore chains, necklaces, rings, and bracelets. He did not care if the cold metal scraped against her body, making her skin raw. He did not care that he had killed her sister years ago. He did not care that her family lived in poverty until she started whoring herself out to this stupid slob. He did not care about her past, _period_, and never questioned it…

_**GoldDragon08:**_ _About the man being hairy: Some women like that. Some women even like fat men who smell because they find that manly, or rich. So don't think that I have anything against fat hairy people. I have pimples on my back so I can relate to this guy, too. This guy is just an asshole that I wanted to use._

She on the other hand was quite sober. She pretended she had a good time with him. She arched her back ever so often, and clenched her 'muscles' around him, giving him the impression that she was climaxing. This fed his ego, making him think in a drunken way that he was the best lover that she ever had. Unlike him, she made sure to pluck, wax, shave, and trim her body hair. She took baths twice daily and had special creams rubbed onto her so that her skin could remain in prime condition. Her body had been covered in perfume in preparation for this fucking session…I mean love making session. She let him slap her, and forced herself to moan in _pleasure_ as opposed to crying out in pain. She sacrificed comfort and said that he made her feel good while she gagged on vomit from his reek and winced internally at the pain she felt while he pounded her mercilessly with his ridiculous cock. Oh this man knew nothing of her, but she made it a point to know everything about this man, and what it would take to bring him down.

They were having sex in a tall tower of a castle. The castle was heavily guarded. There was a moat surrounding the castle, filled with flesh eating-worms, and insects that would lay eggs in your urethra should you pee in the water. The eggs would grow inside, and the creature would eat itself out of you. There were signs of course, saying that these types of animals were inside the water, but if someone wanted to chance it, it was up to them.

Suddenly, outside the window, the woman could see the blue beam streaking across the sky. The time had come, and she knew it in her soul. She stopped acting, and let him fuck her some more. She pushed him off her, and refused to give in to his protests.

"Whad the fuck?" The man said as he stumbled away from her as she grabbed clothing and put it on. "You no enjoy my love fest anymore? Fuck you, butch, I get more whores who suck better than you. You stupid butch, I throw you out with trash; maybe send worms up pussy hole? You like dat, butch, you like dat?"

"You're one _ugly_ motherfucker." The woman said as she pulled out a loaded crossbow from under the bed.

"Whad fuck you thinking?" The man asked her. "You gonna shoot me? You gonna shoot your boss? Okay, shoot butch, shoot me! Shoot big scary man who will kill you. Come on, butch. Do it, you have guts? Do it, DO IT!!"

The cross-bow was trained on him at all times. He slowly made his way to the door while telling her to shoot him. He opened the doors wide open, and yelled for the guards. Three men in black armor walked over to him, leaving a few splashes of blood on the ground…

"Ha, Ha!" The man laughed as he turned his back on the armored men. "Kill her, you stupid dogs, kill da butch! Fucking hold her down while I fuck her ass. No one likes doing dat for me, so I make her do it now, get her, get da butch!"

There was the wet sound of metal going through flesh. The man yelped and screamed as he toppled over, his tendon in the back of his left leg severed and now bleeding. He rolled onto his back, and screamed at the soldier who had cut his leg.

"You fucking guy." The man screamed. "You motherfucking, cucksucking, little penis wanker, of a whore. When I get up, I will kill you myself, and ram that butch's head so hard up your ass, you will-"

_**GoldDragon08**_**:** _Why Butch? Make the man more motherfucking annoying._ _To anyone with speech impediments or accents, please don't take offence. I know a few people who have speech impediments; in fact one of my family members used to not be able to speak properly…_

SPLOOSH!!

A second soldier stabbed the man's right hand with a knife, making him cry out. The third soldier walked over to the man, and placed his foot on the man's head. He stabbed the man's groin area three times, and the man screamed high-pitched screams as pain pulsed in his body. The soldier nodded at the woman. She walked up to the man on the floor, and the soldiers stepped back.

"They stabbed me." The man cried, literally. "Help me, I'll give you anything. Help me!"

"You always say you want to go to heaven." The woman aimed the crossbow. "Now's your chance."

The arrow shot out from the crossbow, and ruptured the man's throat. He squealed, but it came out as a gurgle as blood started pouring out of the wound, into the back of his throat and mouth. The soldiers took out pieces of paper they had salvaged from a different part of the castle. It was the deeds to both towns. The woman looked at both of them, and smiled. She had work to be done.

Servants all sobbed as they looked at the carnage caused by the three soldiers. Shirosaki's soldiers had killed the guards outside the castle, and had killed every guard throughout, going up to the tower. There were headless or stabbed bodies everywhere. Some had throwing knives embedded into their bodies. It had been chaos. Shirosaki's people had scaled the walls, entered the castle without going into the moat. The man in charge of the castle who fucked the woman was none the wiser of her or Shirosaki's soldiers' interactions, and now, he paid with his life as she took control of everything he owned…

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China: One Hundred Medals  
USA: Twenty Medals  
Canada: Ten Medals  
Mexico? Zero Medals, because if a Mexican can run, jump, or swim, they are already in the USA motherfucker, those illegal immigrants. ~_Peter Chao aka Pyrobooby on . (Fuck, it might not go like that, but you get the idea) _

_**GoldDragon08:**_ _I actually don't care who wins the Olympics. Of course if my country would win, I could speak to others about it, but that would be it. I am glad to see the best of the best compete and get awarded for these things. Could you imagine if these athletes were soldiers? They are the best, so they could probably own a lot of people._

The blue beam of light could be seen from the palace walls. Four of Shirosaki's soldiers fought the battalion of soldiers that were in their way. One used a katana, one used a shield and a sword, one used two swords, and the final one used a staff. They worked in tandem, blocking attacks from reaching their comrades. They moved quickly, disarming, wounding, and killing people left, right, and center. They destroyed other weapons, smashing down flags, slashing through spears, and bent metal. The soldiers opposing Shirosaki's own were quite fearsome, but none compared to the savagery of Shirosaki's soldiers. They broke through walls, smashed through barriers, opened gates, and climbed obstacles until they were on the inside of a courtyard. Archers stood ready, and fired when Shirosaki's soldiers got in range.

Simultaneously except for the soldier who already had a shield, the other soldiers cut a chord on their left arms, or right if they were left-handed, and this opened up shields that opened like fans, going 360 degrees. Their shields protected them from the arrows. The archers kept firing, not letting other soldiers get the chance to attack Shirosaki's soldiers. Finally, the last arrow was fired. The three soldiers dropped their shields, while the one who used a sword and shield ran forward. All four of them met the last gate, and pushed on it. It had been barricaded, so it was onto Plan B. Two soldiers took out crossbows that hung on their backs. The attached a long grapple onto a special arrow. They launched both grapples into the air, making them crash into windows in the palace. Two soldiers scaled the ropes as the other two protected them with crossbows of their own.

Then, the other two climbed up while the others protected them. They had managed to make it into the palace; two ran towards the throne room (The one with a staff and the one with a katana) while the other two found a way to the basement where the ruler could be hiding (The one with two swords and one with shield and sword). The two with single weapons opened the doors to the throne room. The ruler had left a bomb that was set to go off when the flame that burned the wick reached the explosives. Using a throwing blade, the soldier with the katana severed the wick from the explosives so that the bomb would not explode. The two soldiers ran to the basement.

In the meantime, the two soldiers with dual weapons were in mortal danger. They were surrounded, and as they were defending themselves, fighting to get to the ruler, someone started firing poisonous darts at them. The soldier with two swords was hit in the neck. They pulled out the dart in a split second, but had left themselves wide open. One of the ruler's soldiers stabbed them. The soldier with the shield attacked their comrade's enemies away, and defended the comrade. The soldier with two swords fought valiantly but all too soon his wounds and the poisons in their body started making them lose, and be pushed back.

The other two soldiers with singular weapons came out of the shadows and started attacking the guards. The soldier with two swords fell to the ground. The three soldiers fought and found each other. They continued fighting, protecting their comrade. The fallen soldier knew the rules. They knew what had to be done. Summoning strength beyond strength, they got up, and only held one sword. They went to comrade to comrade, taking explosive powders, grenades and the like, and strapped it onto their body. They signaled for their comrades to see them. The three able warriors left the lone soldier. They fought to get away from the throne room doors, while the person with explosives fought to get to the doors. The guards stabbed them, and cut them up. They fell on the ground, spitting out blood. Red haze crept into their vision. Smiling, the soldier lit a match…

_**GoldDragon08:**_ _On the last page of Guinness World Records, in Fine Print, it states that Chuck Norris has beaten every Record in the Book, and the people described in the book are the ones who came closest. The same could be said about the Olympics! It is really too bad that Chuck Norris died ten years ago…_

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A man in Hueco Mundo's army was punched in the face in a grand tent only to be used by Generals. The man had shoulder length blond hair. They stumbled back and tried to find something to hold onto, but only managed to knock down things that were on a table. The man fell to the ground, and their assailant kneed them in the chest, and continued tenderizing them with his fists.

"Where are they?" Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez seethed as he picked the other man up by their collar. "Why the fuck would Nel leave you insignificant worm in charge of her army? What the fuck?

The man spit out blood to the side. The man was Pesche Guatiche, Neliel's subordinate.

"I know how this might seem." Pesche said. "But General Oderschwank had the best intentions at heart. She and General Schiffer went to protect Princess Orihime. They left me and Dondochakka Bilstin in their places. Surely you know about the plot to take the Princess' life?"

"I don't give a fucking cock sucking rat's ass about the tool Orihime." Grimmjow said enraged. "What town or whatever is our 'fair' Princess at? Where is Nel and Schiffer at?"

"Karakura Town." Pesche said as he was punched again by a livid Grimmjow.

_How can she do this to me? _He thought. _I was too busy making sure my soldiers were okay to even think about her. She could be fucking dead. I have to get the fuck out of here and help her!_

Grimmjow opened the tent flaps, and looked at his two soldiers who were restraining Pesche's guards.

"Release the scum." Grimmjow sneered. "Shawlong, I name you General of my army in my stead."

"Sir?" Shawlang said to his commander. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to save our fucking Princess and perhaps the two Generals that went after her."

_**GoldDragon08**__: About Chuck Norris dying ten years ago: Death hasn't gotten the nerve to tell Chuck that yet._

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The blue beam shooting through the sky could be seen by all in both Hueco Mundo and Essess. In cities and towns, Shirosaki's soldiers, brave men and women fought, died, and took control or showed the people that Shirosaki's warriors were there to change things. And things did change. In a few well planned moments, most of Essess and Hueco Mundo was now under the control of Shirosaki. The two armies and their leaders looked out to the night sky and saw the beam, but could not find any reason as to what caused this symbol…

"That looks magnificent." Gin Ichimaru said to Sosuke Aizen and Tosen Kaname about the blue beam. "But where's it coming from?"

"Don't take any notice, Gin." Kaname said. "It is nothing. It has nothing to do with this war."

"No, Tosen." King Aizen said. "It's not coming from the sky. Someone has made this beam. It's a sign to others. Something has happened."

Suddenly, a lone soldier rounded the corner, and bowed to the three men.

"Sir!" He saluted. "A third General has abandoned his post. He is now riding his pet Pantera towards Karakura Town to save your daughter, our Princess. He said that he will also bring back the two Generals that went after the Princess. He has left his army under the command of his subordinate."

"Grimmjow." Kaname seethed. "Lord Aizen. When the traitors come back, I shall punish all three of them for their disobedience in this dire time. They will suffer the consequences."

"No." Aizen said to his friend while waving the soldier away so the three men could speak in private. "You will stand down."

"Sir?!" Kaname said surprised. "We need those soldiers if we are to win. If others abandon us, then we will fall. I will fight for you to the end, but if these mutineers are not dealt with, others will do the same!"

"You do not understand, Kaname." Aizen said smoothly. "They are choosing to use the high road and protect someone precious not only for me, but for Hueco Mundo. They want to protect the image of Orihime as a kind and caring ruler. People fear me because of what I have ordered to be done, but Orihime? People _love_ her. They will be crushed if she should die."

"I thought you were willing to sacrifice her." Kaname said. "Do you mean to say you _planned_ this?"

"I did not plan anything, Kaname." Aizen feigned hurt. "They are doing this out of their own desires for peace."

"At the beginning of this war," Kaname tried to keep his cool, but let anger slip into his words. "You wanted to take control of Essess. What is happening now? Are we all going to fight the elite that Essess has to offer and _die_? Do you wish us all to suffer?"

"You clearly have not been following me." Aizen smiled. "The goal remains the same. Essess will fall, and I shall be its king."

"How can you say that?" Kaname said. "We are heading towards the walls of Rokungai, but with that symbol, something might be happening."

"Our soldiers are ready to fight always." Aizen said. "Ever wonder why?"

"No, should I?"

"Yes, Kaname. I would never trust a man like Shirosaki. I had his messenger followed until he reached the walls of Rokungai. There is no doubt that Yamamoto was alerted to the movements of our armies. That means they want to meet us far from Rokungai Seireitei."

"Then you have a plan?"

"You know me; I am always ten steps ahead of the enemy."

Kaname remained silent as he took this in. Aizen and Ichimaru could only smile. Ichimaru was not like Kaname. He had been the one to trail the messenger, so he knew what was to happen…

_**GoldDragon08:**_ _I just looked at the stats for my story. It is still not finished, but it is the longest story I have ever written. That is awesome. Thanks for people who continue to read this and actually like it!_

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Kon's hooves echoed down the empty street. Ichigo gritted his teeth as he raced towards Kurosaki Clinic. The bright blue light that shot up into the sky only worried Ichigo more. Ichigo had found his horse wondering aimlessly around the town, and there were no signs of anyone who had gone with Isshin. Ichigo was now travelling at break-neck speed towards his home. He prayed that nothing had happened to Yuzu, Karin, or the Princess. The light in the sky blinded Ichigo, but he stayed the course, despite whinnies of protest from Kon. Suddenly, the beam stopped being produced, and the beam escaped the town, rising farther and farther as it disappeared.

_What the hell was that? _Ichigo thought, and blinked for his eyes to get used to the darkness that once again took over the town.

**

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**

The white sword remained pointing upwards. Shirosaki was breathing heavily as he slowly brought his sword down. He dropped the blade and fell to his knees, and then to his hands. He spat on the floor as he heaved breaths in and out.

"Sir?" Rirrin said to her master, unsure of what she should do.

"It's finished." Shirosaki said, smiling weakly. "Let's get the fuck out of here."

Everything was now in place, so Shirosaki and his soldiers left Kurosaki Clinic. Ichigo came riding Kon towards his home. He leapt off the horse and ran towards the Clinic. He stopped dead in his tracks. There were two huge torches lit, and the light from the flames danced on the sign of Kurosaki Clinic.

"No." Ichigo said quite dreadfully.

There was a young woman nailed to the sign. She was wearing Princess Orihime's white dress. There was auburn hair draped over her face. Right in the middle of her chest was Ichigo's huge cleaver, stabbed right through the woman's body into the sign. Ichigo brought Kon closer to the building, and climbed onto the horse. He reached up, and wrapped his fingers around the hilt of the sword, and gently pulled it from the woman's chest. Blood poured out of the wound. Ichigo pulled the body gently, getting blood all over his clothes. He came off of Kon and entered the house which was lit with many candles and lanterns, looking for something to pry the body off the sign. Ichigo's stomach turned. There was blood everywhere and it smelt of gun powder and rotting flesh. Ichigo walked into the kitchen. It was a mess. Someone had gone through every drawer, every cabinet, and took every knife, fork, spoon, rolling pin, pan, etcetera.

Ichigo went down into the cellar. His weapons were all gone. He ran back upstairs and walked into the backyard. Three bodies lay on the ground. They were the remains of Tsubaki, Baigon, and Hinagiku. Then Ichigo heard a sound. He heard something coming from inside the outhouse, which was used to bathe in (another one was used to pee and defecate in). Ichigo slowly walked up to the outhouse and untied a rope that was keeping it closed. Ichigo opened the door, and a young girl's body smashed into his, sobbing while her fists pounding on his chest.

"Oh god." Ichigo said as he realized who this was.

The Princess Orihime looked into Ichigo's eyes, and she only sobbed harder as she hugged Ichigo tighter after realizing it was him. The poor girl…Someone had pulled and cut her hair very short. It was all chopped up, and the hair on the right side of her face was longer than the hair on her left, but there were strands that were still quite long throughout her head. She was wearing her sleeping clothes. Whoever attacked her had forced her to put them on after stripping her of the dress she had been wearing.

"its okay, Princess." Ichigo said rubbing her back to try and soothe her. "We will get those bastards whoever did this."

"You can't." Orihime pulled away from Ichigo. "Did you see Lilly's body? That's what is supposed to happen to me. Your Master Shirosaki said that if you did not lead me to the church in the middle of the town noon tomorrow to be assassinated, your sisters would die. They took every weapon you had except for the giant sword they stabbed Lilly with. If you had any armor, it's gone. There's no hope. I know what I must do, and I will gladly trade my life for your sisters."

Ichigo averted his gaze from Orihime. She had called Shirosaki _his master_. It was as if she thought he was on the same side as that maniac. Ichigo turned away. The light from the house shone on one side of his face, while darkness fell on the other side. He closed his eyes. He had to make a choice: Lead Orihime to her death to save his sisters and let down the people of Hueco Mundo, or save the Princess so that Shirosaki would not win…but he would have to sacrifice his family members…

…The ones he swore he would protect…

Then, someone walked into the backyard. Ichigo looked to the person.

"Princess." Chizuru bowed to her Princess. "Forgive me for not coming to your aid. It's not safe for you here, come to my place."

"Thank you." Orihime said quietly, wiping her face to try and look better.

Ichigo remained a still figure.

"Ichigo." Chizuru placed a hand on Ichigo's left shoulder. "You must come too."

"Why?" Ichigo asked, looking to Chizuru. "I'm the last person that should be coming to help you and the Princess."

"But she _needs_ you." Chizuru pleaded with the man.

Ichigo bowed his head.

"Let me get my stuff."

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**

Chizuru shared a house with other young women who once were prostitutes. She had one room to herself, and had turned a storage room into a window-less room for the Princess…

But Ichigo could only have a mat to sleep on in the small kitchen since they had not a family or living room. Chizuru really did have a sick partner, and she was really a lesbian. Orihime needed to be cleaned up, so she had to bathe. It would not matter if Chizuru or Ichigo waited outside for the Princess because both had the potential to be perverted…both had honor so that was quite wrong thinking.

Ichigo sat on a small chair as he watched over Orihime bathing. She was in the outhouse, and Ichigo could only see her arm come out to scoop up some warm water from a barrel that was being heated by a small fire. She used a bucket awkwardly to bathe with. Chizuru had to make sure her partner would be comfortable. In the wake of Shirosaki taking control of the town, Chizuru wanted her partner to stay with her once more. In the morning, perhaps they would bury the bodies of the four guards that had given their lives for the Princess. Ichigo stared into space. He knew there was nothing threatening the Princess if Shirosaki was determined to have her killed in front of the people. Orihime had only asked him to be there because she felt safer with him than anyone else in the town.

Of course Ichigo felt that she was making sure he would stay there so that she could keep an eye on him. If she thought he was on Shirosaki's side then she would not trust him, would she? Ichigo could not tell what she really felt; he could only assume the worst. He was a very bad person and the Princess was righteous; he was not worthy to be in her presence. It was no wonder Shirosaki did not seek to tear him down. He had said he wanted to tear down the best of the best, and Ichigo knew that Orihime was the best. That was why Shirosaki wanted to take her from this world that needed her most.

Her clothes that the soldiers forced her to wear were dirty, covered with blood that had come from Lilly, Baigon, Hinagiku, and Tsubaki's bodies. Now, she had put on a simple dress given to her to wear by Chizuru. Her clothes were taken by Shirosaki's soldiers. Of course, the dress was kind of small around the bust area because Chizuru's chest was small. This made the Princess' breasts stick out more. Ichigo looked away ashamed at what he thought. Orihime wiped her hair, bending down to do so. Ichigo's eyes wandered, looking over her form. Her long smooth legs were quite enticing. She was bare footed, and Ichigo's eyes widened as he realized for the first time that he might in fact have a foot fetish. Her toes were small and cute. Ichigo looked up, and stared at her thighs, where the skirt came down. He found himself wondering what her butt felt like. Her small waist and stomach made her look fragile. Ichigo averted his eyes as Orihime glanced his way. His cheeks burned as he blushed. Orihime walked over to Ichigo, who stood up, and looked at her as she came closer to him.

"Chizuru is with her partner." Ichigo said, looking away from the Princess, whose closeness only tempted Ichigo. "You should go upstairs; I'm going to have a bath also."

"Okay." Orihime replied meekly as she walked right past Ichigo, who picked up a towel from inside a cupboard in the kitchen.

Orihime headed upstairs as Ichigo went into the outhouse. He stripped his clothes, and looked for the bucket. It was still half full.

Ichigo stared at his reflection (he could see because there was a lantern lit above him. It would only be lit until the oil inside finished). He closed his eyes as he poured the water over his head, and down his body…

_**Flashback**_

_They did not have outhouses outside the Monastery. Instead, everything was done indoors. Senna would have baths quite regularly while Ichigo used a bucket and cold water to clean himself. Ichigo heard Senna speaking about how warm baths were. He wanted to try it one time, so he asked Senna. Using her influence, Senna arranged for Ichigo to have a bath for the very first time. He entered the chamber, and there were two female servants. Ichigo's eyebrows furrowed as he looked at both of them. Would they be here during the time he took a bath? They offered to take his bathrobe from him, and he gave it to them. He was wearing a black boxer, which was tight. The two females would not leave the bathroom, so Ichigo had a bath wearing his boxers. When he told Senna this, she burst out laughing. Apparently, those were not female servants. They only looked female because some men felt queer stripping in front of other men._

_**End of Flashback**_

Ichigo was finished having his bath. He wiped his skin dry and put on a new boxer shorts and t-shirt, which he had taken from Kurosaki Clinic. He opened the door of the outhouse, and saw the Princess just standing in the doorway to the house.

"Princess Orihime." Ichigo said, walking up to her. "Is something the matter?"

"I just don't want to be alone." Orihime blushed looking away. "Chizuru is already asleep, and so is her girlfriend. It's just us that are up. Lilly- she was my friend."

Ichigo looked at Orihime who held herself, bowing her head. Ichigo could not control his body. It was as if it was moving on its own. He closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her. He was clean, so he should not smell…

Orihime's eyes were wide. She placed her hands on Ichigo's chest as he kept her in his embrace. She buried her head into his shoulder, and started crying softly. Ichigo could feel the cool liquid going through his shirt. He only held her tighter.

"Everything will work out in the end." Ichigo said, trying to find something good to say to soothe the woeful Princess. "We can only hope that somewhere there are people who are on our side, who will help us when the time comes."

Orihime looked up into Ichigo's eyes, and sniffled a bit. Ever so slowly, tenderly, and lovingly, Ichigo Kurosaki dried the Princess Orihime Inoue's tears, and neither could hold back anymore. They found themselves in a slow, but passionate kiss, which scared them both.

_What the hell am I doing?_ Ichigo's eyes widened as he pushed himself away from the Princess, who only looked back at him while she blushed.

"I'm sorry, Princess." Ichigo said, bowing his head. "I should not have done that."

Orihime raised a finger to Ichigo's lips, and then walked closer to the man. She wrapped her arms around Ichigo's neck, and he could only watch and follow his instincts as she kissed him yet again. His scent filled her nostrils .Yes, YES!! This was the scent of the man from her vision. It was as real now as it was back then. Her body was warm. Ichigo reveled in the moment, and found the touch of her lips exhilarating. Her breasts pressed against Ichigo's chest, and Ichigo pressed her body closer to his. His bare legs rubbed against hers, and Ichigo could feel himself becoming aroused. They parted the kiss, and looked at each other for a moment. They could tell from each other's eyes that both of them were sad. Both had lost much. Both were fighting for something. Right now, though, they were content standing outside in each other's arms.

_**GoldDragon08**_: Holy shit this is one long ass chapter. Smut next chapter? I'm considering it.


	14. Chapter 14

**Knight of Karakura Town Chapter Fourteen**

_**GoldDragon08**_: I failed miserably at making this the romance I wanted it to be. I asked you all last chapter how should Ichigo and Orihime go around having sex. But sex is not love. How do I show you that Ichigo and Orihime love each other? What I wrote so far is basically lust. That's not what I wanted. I'm still deciding what to write, so this chapter is promoting my other story, which is the long-awaited _sequel to __Darkest Before Dawn_:

**The Grim Morning After Dark **

**(There is a story with Ichigo and Orihime at the double line or line ****eight (8)****. Go down if you aren't really interested in **_**Grim Morning After Dark**_**, which will be renamed **_**Sunset Mistaken for Dawn**_**…I love it, but if you don't ah well. I will write the next installment for **_**Knight of Karakura Town**_** sometime this month…I have projects and stuff for school and work to do.)**

It should have been serene; vision of the Earth. Instead, orange circles appeared, combined by the tremors that these explosions caused. Fire could be seen from space; it was that much that even angels on the Space Platform could see it. Buildings _melted_ and lives were lost. California, United States was now just one big round circle of fiery death. England was swallowed by the seas. The sands of the Sahara were blowing up into the sky, blotting out the sun as the angels waged war with humans, living and dead.

A soldier panicked. He did not know what was happening, but people were dying all over the place, _brutally_. Blood exploded from their bodies as if something ran them through. Explosions were happening all over the land, and his fellow soldiers were firing their weapons blindly before they died. The soldier started firing his machine gun all over the place, and started screaming as he felt a piercing pain in his side. He looked, but did not see what had struck him. Something collided with his chest, and he was sent a few feet away. His weapon flew elsewhere. He took out his service pistol from its holster, and pointed it at where he thought whatever was attacking him was coming from. He could see that something was making footprints in the bloody ground. He fired four shots before something exploded in his chest. His blood flew everywhere, and even onto the thing that attacked him. The being wiped the blood from their cheek, and tasted it.

It was the taste of Victory.

**1**

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Captain Ikkaku Madarame of Squad Three was shirtless and laughed as he raised his two blades of _Ryūmon Hōzukimaru_ as the huge blade with the dragon crest floated behind him. Suddenly, there was a crash on the ground behind Ikkaku. Out of the dust rose Captain Sajin Komamura of Squad Seven's Bankai, _Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō_. The massive giant raised its sword as Komamura did the same underneath it as fire surrounded Ikkaku, Komamura, and their Bankais. In front of the fire was Captain Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryusai of First Squad, wielding his flaming Zanpakuto _Ryūjin Jakka_. The Other Captains of the _Fourteen_ Court Guard Squads unleashed their Bankais too, except for Ashido Kenpachi, who had no Shikai or Bankai…yet. They rushed forward, or in the case of Captain Byakuya Kuchiki of Sixth Squad and Captain Soifon of Second Squad, remained back, and fired their most powerful attacks.

Zero Squad was made up of Captain-class Soul Reapers, led by the best tactician they had, Kirio Hikifune. To complement Squad Zero were robot guards wielding different weapons than Zanpakuto. They used Assault Rifles, Hunting Rifles, and Single-hand Small Automatic Machine Gun-like Kido Guns. Alpha, Beta, Delta, Foxtrot, Gamma, Zulu, Whiskey, and the strongest of them all, Xeta Maximus stood by their comrades. Xeta was much taller and bulky than the other robots. He wielded a Mini-gun Kido Blaster, as well as huge Kido Cannon on his left shoulder. Three shots from the Assault Rifles could kill an angel. One shot from the Mini-gun and the Hunting Rifle can kill an angel. Seven shots from the Single-hand Small Automatic Machine Gun-like Kido Guns could kill an angel, and these hand-held devices fired at a rate faster than their bigger Assault Rifle counterparts. But their enemies were quick, and used their kido-like abilities to stop the shots fired. They also had the power of Bankai.

These weapons and robots were made to protect. They were made to be the best, unquestioning, and ever calculating. They could not be bought, hypnotized, or put to sleep. The only way to destroy them was to get to their power source, and the only way to get to their power source was to destroy them. Their only flaw was to follow orders, but they adapted to changes without hesitation. They were not stupid enough to follow orders of someone under hypnosis. They only followed the King and Captain Hikifune when they (Hikifune and the King) were at their best. If one robot fell, the rest would converge on the fallen, and fix him or shot at enemies to cover the comrades that did the fixing. They converged on fallen Soul Reapers and did the same.

_**GoldDragon08**_: This is not Star Wars. The Kido Guns are more like the Plasma Gun from the X-Box 360 Game Turok. NOT Turok Evolution, the previous game. TUROK, where the main character's name is TUROK. My bro plays this game, well actually both Turok games for X-box.

The Kido Corps was the only Squad left in Soul Society, with all the guards and soldiers that protected the nobility. A contingent of Squad Four Soul Reapers also remained to help the Kido Corps. The residents of Soul Society were guided to underground bunkers that were quite heavily armored, and layered with spells and other things that prevented beings from entering them. Uryu Ishida was there. He was very strong because of all the Spiritual Particles that surrounded him. Chad remained in the World of the Living to protect Karakura Town.

Facing the Soul Society elite were thousands upon thousands of beautiful angels, all wielding Gold Zanpakuto. One Angel in particular looked to the Captains, looking upon them with _pride_. He turned _around_ and raised his Gold Zanpakuto. This angel was King Reiou, the ruler of Soul Society. He faced the angels and yelled:

"ATTACK!!"

It seemed impossible, but there were more Soul Reapers. There were **at least** two other Rulers who carried the title Reiou: Leaders of different Soul Societies all over the world. And there were hundreds of Captain-class Soul Reaper-like beings who began fighting the Angels with their versions of Bankai all around the world. But they were too few, and the Angels were more than Captain-class each, leading more angels that may not have been so skilled, but outnumbered any regular Soul Reaper ten to one.

The Vizards looked upon the bleak horizon. They were all looking on with grim expressions.

"Well, are you all just going to stand there watching the end of the world?" Isshin Kurosaki in his Soul Reaper uniform said. "Or are you going to pitch in to stop the madness?"

"We fought Aizen's Twenty Blades." Shinji Hirako said. "We fought Arrancars and Hollows, and because of everyone that was helping we won…but this is different. The power that these beings wield, these _angels_…It's nothing like I've seen before."

"It's alright to be afraid." Isshin said. "But, I'm not going to let them win. I can't.

**BANKAI**

**2**

**

* * *

**

Malone, Jakuri, Senna, and Aizen stood together.

"I should have known Kurosaki had your help." Aizen sneered to the three of them. "After I deal with the threat above, I will come back for you."

"That's fine with me." Malone said. "Let's get this over with."

Jakuri flew into the air and unsheathed his sword. It glowed pure white, but then changed to violet. Jakuri brought his Zanpakuto up and made a circle with it. A gold circular pair of gates appeared, and the inner gates rotated until they came to rest on the proper position. Aizen appeared in front of the gates as they opened. Moans and growls could be heard from the _Gates of Destiny_, which were the gates of Purgatory, where time went by extremely fast: One day for the rest of the world was one year inside Purgatory (DBZ mothafucka). Aizen used a whistle, and got all of the creatures' attention. They all prepared to attack, but Aizen pulled out his Zanpakuto and used it to control the monsters. He made them think that the enemy to fight was inside the Space Platform, millions of miles in the sky. Aizen used Shunpo, and the beasts of Purgatory were let out of their domain. Those that could fly did so to reach the Space Platform, while some other creatures teleported there. Others that could not fly were hypnotized to attack the angelic threats.

Aizen pulled out his second Zanpakuto, the twin to his other one. He made an X in front of his face, and a Hollow Mask formed there. He unleashed his Resurreccion as Malone and Jakuri unleashed their Bankai. Using Prohibited Kido Skills, Malone transported the three of them to the Moon, which was the closest place in Space. Since they were souls, they could still breathe in space. Aizen flew to the Space Platform, followed closely by Jakuri and Malone.

**3**

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**

The Creator, the Architect, God, Jehovah, Nirvana (which is a state of mind, like maybe the Force?? Nah…), whatever you want to call him burst into the room.

"Where is He?" He bellowed to the angel in the room, who was teaching young angels. "Where is my Son?"

"Why, I'm right here." _Gabriel_ or whatever you want to call him said to the Almighty. "Aren't I good enough to be your Son?"

"You have flaws." The Creator said. "You were only meant to be a messenger. I thank you for continuing the duties of my Best Son, by teaching the young ones, but if you do not tell me where He is, you will force me to…_pry_."

"He's on Earth." Gabriel admitted. "He left right before the invasion."

"How did He get by my guards?" The Creator asked Gabriel. "Why could I not sense Him?"

"You made Him unique." Gabriel answered. "He was to share your Good Spirit. In fact, He _was_ your Good Spirit. He loved the people you created on Earth. He loved them as much as He loved you."

"You know don't you?" The Creator said in a hushed tone. "He is…

"_**DEAD…"**_

Suddenly, the Creator felt something stirring. He went back to the throne room where He had full view of the Earth. Gabriel followed. The Creator used his telescopic vision to see what was happening. There was something unnatural happening in the Ocean between Europe and America. He scanned the area, and tried to pinpoint the location of the disturbance. Something was moving across the Ocean with breakneck speed; something_ black._ The Creator looked harder and tried to follow but for some odd reason, His vision could not focus on the being causing the disturbance.

"What is it that you sense?" Gabriel inquired. "What is causing you ill feelings?"

"Can't you see it?" The Creator asked His loyal subject. "It's moving at a very fast pace. I never imagined a Spiritual Being who was not an angel could move like this."

Gabriel used his own telescopic vision.

"I see nothing."

The Creator looked back, and could still see the black thing moving over the water. Then He sensed it. He could not comprehend what He was seeing. This being had immense power.

**The Dead Son's Power**

"By the Pit?" The Creator said. "He's headed towards it."

"What is _he_ moving towards?" Gabriel asked.

"Soul Society Prime." The Creator said. "It's the first place my Son created for Souls to go to. It's the oldest, too, and most powerful."

"But our angels can surely crush all of them." Gabriel said. "Why should it matter?"

"My Son knew this day would come." The Creator said. "He left something in Prime. That is why the Soul Reapers there **are** the _strongest_. They have to protect what's there."

"And what is there that my superior left?" Gabriel asked, impatiently. "And why did you not destroy it?"

"My Son has left something to save the Human Race because that is His purpose. This game I'm playing only gets more interesting if the humans can save themselves. You obviously do not want to spend your time teaching the young ones, so it shall be your task to stop him."

Gabriel bowed humbly, and used Shunpo to get to the armory. The Creator sensed invaders on the Space Platform. He sealed the room with the young ones, and waited to see how things came out. The Platform was heavily guarded, but the Creator wanted to have some fun, so He let the intruders win for a while, against illusions instead of actual adversaries. Being a master of illusion, Aizen saw through these, and rushed into the throne room overlooking Earth. Jakuri and Malone were busy fighting the illusions. The creatures from Purgatory were elsewhere. Aizen stepped into the throne room, still in his Resurreccion form. The doors to the throne room closed behind him, but Aizen expected that to happen.

Suddenly, his Resurreccion undid itself. Aizen's eyes widened. He was back in his Arrancar Uniform, holding his two swords.

"Welcome to the grand audience hall." The Creator said. "Magnificent, isn't it? The Wonderful Earth and all its beautiful majesty, coupled with the destruction that my angels are perpetrating on its surface."

"You took away both my Hollow and Soul Reaper powers," Aizen realized. "Without even doing anything I have lost to you. But make no mistake; I have other ways to defeat you."

Aizen dropped one of his swords and reached into his pocket. The Creator pulled out of his own pocket the fully awoken Hogyoku.

"I think you dropped this." The Creator said. "But then again, you never had it to begin with."

"That's not what I was looking for." Aizen smiled, pulling out a black badge of some kind. "_This_ is what I was looking for."

Aizen slammed the badge into his chest, and the badge seemed to turn into liquid, covering Aizen's whole being. Aizen seemed to be in his Resurreccion Segunda Etapa form. However, this was different. He had vastly more power.

"I'm going to take _my_ _Hogyoku_." Aizen swore. "And then I will take that throne and continue the war, controlling every angel until the whole Earth is under my control."

The Creator looked at him, with an eyebrow raised. He started bouncing the Hogyoku. It was now just a rubber ball to the Creator. He then pitched it to the window. It seemed to go past the window, and it turned into a streak of light as it entered Earth's atmosphere. Aizen was appalled.

"Go fetch." The Creator said as Aizen attacked.

**4**

**

* * *

**

Five angels floated in the air. Their weapons were drawn. In the distance, they could see a black speck, but it was moving. It was coming closer and closer.

"You cannot pass." The Lead Angel whispered into nothingness.

All of a sudden, the black speck created an air pocket, and exploded with double the speed.

"Bankai!" The Lead Angel's sword turned into hundreds of huge blades. He formed them into spikes, and made a wall from the water, up to the sky.

Nothing could pass it, unless they went around. The black speck did not stop. It turned out to be a man. It was a man with black eyes (Black Whites, Black Irises, and Black Cornea). He had shoulder-length orange hair and was 20 years old because of the time he spent in Purgatory…

The Bankai Zanpakuto, Tensa Zangetsu rose and pointed forward. Ichigo Kurosaki, or at least his body and power went right through the metal defense. The Lead Angel was pushed back by the immense force. The blades flew everywhere as the huge structure broke down. Kurosaki stopped, as the four other angels surrounded him. The Lead Angel coughed up blood. On his left side, it looked like something had bitten and taken a chunk right out of him. His sword reformed into a katana, and he pointed it at Kurosaki.

"So you have some skill." The Lead Angel said. "You will die here and now!"

The five angels rushed forward. They crashed right into each other. They came apart as a small purple blast went in between them after being shot from above them. The water shot up, and the purple blast turned huge really quickly. It collided with the angels, and sent them higher into the sky, but they were not dead, not by a long shot. But Kurosaki had not the time to waste. He looked to where he was going, and using a Shunpo, he was gone. The angels all tried to go after him, but they were not able to catch up to him.

"Shit!" The angel swore. "We have to warn the others."

**5**

Kurosaki hovered in the air. Twenty Arch-Angels stood in his way.

"End of the line." Gabriel said to Kurosaki. "I'm here to take back what you stole. I need you to give back the power of Emmanuel. It is Blasphemy for you to have _His_ power."

Kurosaki reached into his left pocket, and pulled out a White Badge, and slammed it into his chest. Ichigo Kurosaki was thrown back, and another being entirely came from his body. This being was wearing white, and it shone brightly. Gabriel's eyes widened as fear gripped him. This being breathed in, and threw up a double-edged sword covered in orange and yellow flames, catching it by its hilt. On his face he was wearing Ichigo Kurosaki's Hollow Mask, the first one with stripes on one side. Fifty Arch-Angels started appearing behind Gabriel, all stronger than Captain-Class Soul Reapers, adding to the twenty.

"Emmanuel." Gabriel said. "Why are you using that weapon? The Creator gave that for you to use against Lucifer and his demons. And that mask? You're using powers that are _evil_. This perversion of your purpose-It's inconceivable that you would turn to these humans for help. We're your brothers and sisters, My Lord! You would stand by these pieces of clay and ash? You would defend those that are condemned to die in fire and sulfur?"

"I have no desire to kill." The One said. "I needed to use Ichigo Kurosaki's Hollow so that I would have the ability to kill you and the others. I will defy our Father Himself, and save these people, for they are worth saving. I AM THE FATHER!! And I will renew the faith of the people so that they will believe in Me. Understand that this is not about hate. I love you, too, but as our Father said: Sacrifices need to be made."

30 more Arch-Angels appeared behind Gabriel. 101 Arch-Angels faced The One and Ichigo Kurosaki, who no longer had his Hollow Powers. All of a sudden, a Garganta opened up behind the two of them. Five Vasto Lorde walked out. Ulquiorra Schiffer was in his Resurreccion Segunda Etapa form. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez walked up beside him, and was in _his _Resurreccion Segunda Etapa form. His hair was still spiky and blue, but his eyes were black with blue irises His metal suit was black, and his claws were white. Nelliel Tu Oderschvank walked beside them to the left of Grimmjow. She was also in Resurreccion Segunda Etapa form. Her body was all black, and she looked like a centaur. Her shirt covering her breasts was also black. Her bare stomach, arms, and face was tanned. There were small, white shoulder guards, as well as white forearm guards. To the right of Ulquiorra walked Wonderweiss Margera, also in Resurreccion Segunda Etapa form. To the right of Wonderweiss was a twin to Ulquiorra, except it was a she. She was in similar form to Ulquiorra, but she was wearing a black top, covering her breasts.

Aizen had used the Hogyoku to not only enhance Ulquiorra's regeneration powers, but made his two new bodies have the same powers. Ichigo Kurosaki had cut the former Espada in half when he came from Purgatory through the Gates of Destiny to save Orihime Inoue... Ulquiorra walked beside Ichigo.

"We are here to help." Ulquiorra said. "Let us forget our past and focus on a future where the Earth will survive."

"_I could not agree more._" A voice said from elsewhere.

The One, the Emmanuel could sense the three beings that came out from the Gates of Hell. He looked, wide-eyed at Lucifer, Jezebel, and the Anti-Christ. All of them were beautiful beings, tempting everyone that saw them except for the One himself.

"It's been a long time, Gay-briel." Lucifer smiled, making sure to put emphasis on the word 'Gay', because he knew that it would irk the Arch-Angel. "I see you have started the festivities without me."

"I can't believe this." Gabriel said as he looked at the ten beings that opposed him. "Of all the comrades, of all the beings on Earth that could come to your aid, Emmanuel, you are in the league with the Devil Himself. You have fallen, Emmanuel. So I guess that now, we must do battle. Now we must face each other. The Creator will not be pleased with you Emmanuel. You will burn with the rest of Humanity. You will never see Heaven ever again. Your name and all it stood for is now for naught. You are now the thing our Heavenly Father _hates_. Because of your crimes, I shall be the one who will punish you."

"I have seen what I must become to stop Earth's Destruction." The One said. "I will not stop loving all the beings I helped create. I will not stop loving the Father. But you all are beyond words. I have no other choice. I would die beside the good beings of Earth, and fight beside the sinners to make them believe in me again, that I can stop destruction."

"You are clearly outnumbered, and out-matched." Gabriel told the group, "One hundred and one to ten."

"You little fool." Lucifer said. "I was the best Arch-Angel Heaven had. Not only can I take you on, but I will kill every last motherfucker up there with you."

Suddenly, Lucifer rushed forward, unsheathing his Gold Zanpakuto. He was only a few feet away from Gabriel when a large lightning bolt collided with him, blasting him crashing down to the depths of the sea as burnt blood left his body in the process.

"Father!" The Anti-Christ yelled, unsheathing his blood red sword.

The One, Emmanuel looked up to the sky.

_Nine to one hundred and one._ The Arch-Angel Michael said to Him. _Let's make it ONE._

The sky turned from bright blue to black. Darkness took over the senses of the eight of the warriors that stood with the Emmanuel.

Only He could see.

Only He could fight the enemy.

**6**

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**

Aizen always had an Ace in the Hole…

A fierce growl came from an apartment in Karakura Town. A Black Mask was now on a young woman's face. She had spiky auburn hair, with two blue hairpieces on either side of her head, behind the mask. Her eyes were pure white. The clothes she wore were ripped in many places. The mask pulsed, and the black ooze started dripping from the face, slowly at first, and then started flowing with decreased viscosity. The ooze overtook the woman's entire being, and she now was wearing a black suit that revealed her ample cleavage, and her hair still stood out. A yellow light erupted from one of the hair pieces, and something flew into her right hand. At first it was a yellow shield made out of pure energy, but then the energy warped itself, and turned green. It elongated and turned like a blade. What was pure was now …

CORRUPT

**7**

A lone Soul Reaper ran to the black and silver gates of the throne room to Soul Society Prime's King Reiou, and pushed the doors open. On a throne sat the First King Reiou, promoted from being the Angel of Death…

"My Lord!" The Soul Reaper bowed. "The One is approaching, and wants to use some sort of contraption-"

The King raised his hand, and the Soul Reaper stopped speaking. The King stood up from his black throne. He was nothing more than a Black Hooded Cloak, with metal arms and legs. He grabbed his scythe from where it was leaning against the wall.

The first of his kind…

The Grim Reaper stood before the Soul Reaper, and walked away from his throne. With a voice as deep as the sea, he responded:

"The End of the World is at hand." He said. "We have the only hope to end this war. We cannot wait. We must act now."

Unlike other Rulers named Reiou, the Grim Reaper had no use of guards. He devoted every strong warrior to the Reaping of Souls, and saved none for himself. He summoned Hell Butterflies, and spoke to them. They floated away, moving as fast as their wings could carry them.

"What would you have me do, my Lord?" The Soul Reaper asked.

"Get back to your Squad and the protection of Earth." The Grim Reaper said. "I'll do what needs to be done. Spread the word: This war will be won by Earth and its inhabitants."

The Soul Reaper bowed, and quickly departed. The Grim Reaper left his throne room, and opened a secret door. He started walking down an unlit flight of stairs. He did not stop walking, and he did not fumble in the dark. He knew what he had to do, and there was no one that could stop him.

**8**

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**

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_**GoldDragon08**_: That's all folks; don't even try to grab it. (Toonami!!) Don't worry; the Devil Lucifer is not dead, not by a long shot. Since _Knight of Karakura Town_ technically is an Ichigo and Orihime love story primarily, I can't just let you go on without having some sweet, wholesome Ichigo/Orihime loving, can I?

Present day Karakura Town, the _real_ BLEACH Karakura Town where there were Soul Reapers and Hollow. Ichigo Kurosaki is the Deputy Soul Reaper, and he has vowed to protect the town and all the people that he cares about. It was after the defeat of Sosuke Aizen. For a time, peace had reigned, but Hollows started reappearing, so the Soul Reapers of Soul Society had to act and defend the world from the threats as they always had before. During the time of piece, Ichigo Kurosaki and Orihime Inoue began courting each other. The first time Ichigo and Orihime asked each other was the day after Aizen was defeated, after everyone was healed by Squad Four and Orihime.

They both went to class together. Orihime was overjoyed at seeing her friend, Tatsuki, once more, so the two girls spoke to each other. Ichigo did not know what to say to his long time friend, and opted to speak to Keigo, Mizuiro, and Chad (Uryu still claims to be Ichigo's enemy so sat alone although the teacher found something interesting to speak to Uryu about before class started). All of their friends could see how both Orihime and Ichigo would sneak a glance at each other, as if they had something to say. Keigo bothered Ichigo about this, earning him a clock to the face. But Chad, being the quiet one knew just what to say.

"Ichigo, can I talk to you for a minute?" Chad said to his long-time friend. "Let's go outside."

"Sure Chad." Ichigo scratched the back of his head because it was not often that Chad would ask him to have 'pillow talk', as Keigo would describe it. "What is it that you want to talk about?"

Making sure the close was clear Chad and Ichigo could speak to one another without having anyone else interfering.

"Why did you want to save Orihime?" Chad asked, looking at his friend in the eyes. "What drove you to fight impossible odds, overcoming enemies that were too difficult for you to fight? Why did you think you could save her on your own? Was it pride? I think it was a little of that, but there's more isn't there."

"Chad," Ichigo was taken aback. "If you went to Hueco Mundo instead of Orihime, I would have done the same for you."

"Really?" Chad asked, sincerely. "Or do you just tell yourself that she's just a friend? Does she mean more than any of us?"

Guilt and shame made Ichigo's cheeks burn, and he averted his gaze.

"Chad, I swear I would have saved you too-" Ichigo began, but was cut off as Chad raised his hand.

"Forget about what-ifs. You care for the women in your life. You care for Rukia, and you care for Orihime. But Rukia's way older than you, plus she has Renji, so…"

"What are you saying?"

"You love Orihime."

"No…"

"I could see it in the way you talk to her. You either frown more, trying to keep up the façade you have with the class, or you become more genuine. Something's going on. And I think she feels the same. Rukia is her friend, but Orihime went to Soul Society with us because she believes in you, and thought that if she helped you, you would like her more."

"That's bullshit. I would care for Orihime no matter if she came to Soul Society or not."

"You don't have to tell me…And you just admitted that you care for her."

"Fuck." Ichigo bowed his head, gritting his teeth as butterflies fluttered in his stomach. "Then if you know this, then others are bound to know."

"We were close to losing her, Ichigo." Chad said, "Are you going to let one moment pass without letting her know how much she means to you?"

Silence was Ichigo's answer. He clenched his eyes shut, thinking of something, anything to say.

**

* * *

**

"I'm so happy your back!" Tatsuki told her best friend.

"I was just at my aunt's house." Orihime lied, trying to laugh it off.

"No, Orihime." Tatsuki smiled sadly, shaking her head. "I saw them leave. I saw Ichigo, Chad, and Uryu jump into that portal that led to wherever you were. They were going to save you."

"Yeah that's right!" Keigo said, pulling up a chair. "Ichigo was really sad that you left! But I think Tatsuki here might be gay for-"

WWWWHACK!!!!

Tatsuki's fist collided with the boy's face, sending him flying across the room into the wall. The teacher pretended not to notice and just shook her head.

"What Keigo said was mostly true, except for the last bit." Keigo flushed angrily, glaring at Keigo as he cried crocodile tears to Mizuiro about Tatsuki punching him. "Ichigo did not act like himself…He said strange things before he left. He said for me to stay away from him. I think he felt guilty that those creatures, whatever they were, took you."

"He was sad?" Orihime bit her bottom lip, but then her body collided with Tatsuki's as she hugged her friend. "I'm so sorry for lying to you, Tatsuki. It's just…I didn't know what to say. You didn't believe me when I told you about how I went to that place where people looked like samurais…So I thought that if you believed I was at my aunt's you would believe that."

"It's okay." Tatsuki said, hugging her friend back, and then they separated. "You must have been through a lot. Do you want to talk about it?"

"They didn't kidnap me by force." Orihime began. "They said that they would kill you, Ichigo, and all my friends if I didn't go to their side. So, I went to them willingly because I thought I was saving everyone. But Ichigo, Chad, Uryu, Rukia, and Renji all tried to save me although they faced horrible things. I was allowed to say good-bye to one person. I thought about saying good-bye to you, and I wanted to, but in the end, I went to say good-bye to Ichigo."

"Did he say anything?" Tatsuki asked.

"Well, when I went to see him, he was asleep. His sisters slept in his room because they missed him. So we didn't get to speak to him…and I-I almost…He was hurt, and I thought it was the last time I would see anyone, so I-I almost kissed him. But in the end, I couldn't. Aren't I just plain awful?"

"You liked him for a long time, Orihime." Tatsuki smiled at her friend. "And after becoming closer to him after you went to that place where samurai roamed around, I think I understand that you have started having more than a crush on him. You don't idealize him; I think you see Ichigo as he really is, and love him for it."

"But I know that we can't ever be together." Orihime laughed sadly as tears came to her eyes. "He is such a good person, saving people he doesn't know, fighting Hollows because they want to hurt people. And whenever I use Tsubaki, I fail. I can't help him. He saved me because it was right. In the end, he's going to continue being the hero, and I will rust because no one oils up vampire-zombie-robots."

"That's horse shit Orihime." Tatsuki stood up, taking her friend's hand. "He went to the depths of Hell to save you. If you weren't worth saving, then no one would have bothered. You are right, you should not have kissed him without his consent, but you have to find the courage to tell him how you feel. For too long you've been alone. I could see it in your eyes, even when you laugh that you are lonely and sad, so stop being lonely, stop denying yourself what you need, what you _deserve_. Strike up the courage to speak to him and reveal your love to him. And remember, if he hurts you, I'll stomp his candy ass."

Tatsuki pulled her friend to her feet, and pushed her towards the door, which opened. Orihime's eyes widened and Ichigo's frown deepened.

"Ichigo?"

"Hey…"

Whispers could be heard throughout the class. Uryu could not help himself, and looked at the couple.

"Ichigo, I…that is…I really…I can't." Orihime started to cry softly, hugging herself. "I don't want you to hate me…because for a long time-"

Ichigo's warm arms grasped onto Orihime's body. His left hand was in the middle of her back, and his right was on her head. Her head was on his left shoulder, and she buried her head into his shoulder.

"I love you." Ichigo whispered into her ear.

Orihime started to shake as more tears came pouring out of her eyes. Her fists clenched Ichigo's shirt. The whole class started clapping as Keigo cried in the corner.

"I'm worthy of love, I'm worthy of love!" Keigo cried. "Oh, Orihime, how can you betray me like this? WAAHHH!!"

Chad gave Ichigo thumbs up as Uryu smiled; nodding his approval as he used his index finger to push his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"This is madness." Chizuru seethed. "This is blasphemy, heresy, racism, sexism, degradation of the fourth kind! How dare you Ichigo Kurosaki! I will have my venge-"

BANG!!

Tatsuki's foot collided with the other girl's face, knocking her out. Ichigo and Orihime stopped hugging, and Orihime sniffled a bit, smiling at Ichigo, who smiled back. Ever so gently, Ichigo wiped away her tears with his right hand. He brushed her cheek, cupping it. He tilted her head up, licking and then rubbing his lips together. Their mouths met, sending electricity throughout both of their bodies. Orihime wrapped her arms around Ichigo's neck, and they moved their faces, rubbing their noses together, and started kissing again on the opposite side. They were both new to kissing, but so far, both were quite enjoying themselves.

"Ahem." The teacher said, slamming the meter stick down on the board. "The bell just rang, so can we begin our lessons for today. Mister Kurosaki, Miss Inoue, please keep your hands off each other for the remainder of the day or at least until your lunch breaks."

"Sorry." Orihime said after she and Ichigo let go of each other.

Ichigo's signature frown passed from face to beaming face of the other students in the class.

"The show is over!!!" Ichigo told them as he and Orihime took their seats.

The teacher began writing on the board, and she started giving the class instructions. Orihime looked back to Ichigo, who busied himself with the task given to him. He raised his head, looking in Orihime's direction after feeling someone looking at him. He winked at her, causing her to blush as she quickly turned her head back around. Ichigo allowed himself a moment to smile at her antics. There was going to be more tender moments to come between the two of them. Ichigo would make sure of that.

* * *

During the next year and a half, they went on many dates, most being interrupted by Hollows. But then, they started fighting Hollows together. They started spending more and more time together. Ichigo started to stop caring what other people thought of him, so at school, he started smiling more. Rukia had visited, and was shocked to hear Ichigo and Orihime was an item. She was happy for her friends, and supported them. Of course, she felt strange staying with the Kurosaki family, so she had no choice, but had to live at Urahara's Shop with all of the other freeloaders (The three mod-souls, Rirrin, Cloud, and Nova, as well as Ururu and Jinta; I don't consider Yoruichi or Tessai freeloaders because they do a lot of work for Soul Society and other missions).

There were times during the year that they (Ichigo and Orihime) had fights with one another. At first, Orihime was not fully trusting with her emotions, and Ichigo did not like it. She did not want to worry him, but then he said that if she did not start telling him about whatever was bothering her, he would go to Urahara to be healed if he ever got hurt, which happened rarely. One of the issues Orihime had with Ichigo was that he treated her as if she was fragile. She wanted him to see her as a capable human being. So they came to a compromise. Orihime would tell some things, but she was entitled to have some secrets. Ichigo honored her this way, and did not worry as much about her since she said she could handle herself. Orihime started not feeling so worthless because Ichigo made her feel needed and important.

Their physical intimacy was a different topic altogether. They touched each other while hugging each other, kissing each other, holding hands, or carrying each other. Ichigo did most of the carrying, but sometimes Orihime tried. She was not strong enough to carry him, but he did not judge her for it. That was just how things were. However, they never spoke of sex. Sure Ichigo's father bought the boy not one, but every boxed brand of condoms out there. There was even one that was extra thick for anal sex. The boxes remained in Ichigo's drawer, out of sight and out of mind. They never touched each other's crotches, breasts, or butts, but sometimes they would joke around and kick each other in those places, but Ichigo would not joke around about Orihime's breasts.

Today was Saturday, and Orihime sighed as she looked out her window at the grey sky, as rain fell, crashing into puddles and concrete, as well as running off grass, flowers, rooftops, and umbrellas as people went by. Today, Ichigo had been really busy. Tessai started to teach Ichigo about how to use Kido spells, so Ichigo had spent the most of the day at Urahara's Basement, beneath the shop. Tatsuki was out of the town, participating in a martial arts tournament which was to be held over a four day period. Chad was with his band, and Uryu was on a date with a girl from one of his classes. Rukia defended Karakura Town against the Hollows by herself. Orihime would know if her friend needed help.

She wrote a few pages in her diary, did some homework, and ate her favorite snacks. She also prayed to Sora, since it had been a while since she had done that. She practiced some martial arts that Tatsuki had taught her. She had borrowed a book from the library at school which described different exercises, so she followed them, exercising until her muscles ached. It was quite late, so she opted for having a bath, and then changed into her sleeping clothes, which consisted of just her panties and a tank-top. She also tied her hair into a small pony-tail so that her hair would stay out of her face when she slept. That being said, she placed her two hairpins, which held her powers onto her dresser cabinet. She slipped on a robe, and decided to have a bowl of Ice-Cream before bed. The cool desert was just what she needed to keep her mind off the heat, since it was summer, as well as the thunderstorm that had developed.

After her desert, she started fantasizing about the future, where robots roamed the Earth, destroying things, and knocking down buildings. Suddenly, a robot had Ichigo in its hand. Orihime turned into a Super-Saya-Jin-Zombie-Monkey-Tarantula (Without AIDs), and defeated Ichigo who had been consumed by the Dark Lord of the Fifth Kind wearing no pants. With his defeat, Ichigo turned back into the damsel in distress, and Orihime swooped down like a bird to grasp him before he rolled away since he had become an Armadillo.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, as thunder crashed outside, bringing Orihime out of her reverie. Timidly, she made her way to her front door, as the knocking began again, this time more urgently.

"Orihime let me in!" Ichigo's muffled voice sounded from the other side of the door, prompting her to move faster.

She opened the door, and Ichigo walked in, panting after running all the way from Urahara's Shop to her apartment.

"Ichigo, what are you doing here?" Orihime asked, while closing the door as Ichigo shook some of the water from his hair as he took off his soaked shoes. "Your house is closer to Mister Urahara's shop."

"I know." Ichigo replied. "I missed you."

"You must be cold!" Orihime said worriedly, rushing into her apartment, opening her linen closet to get a towel for her boyfriend.

Orihime came back and found that Ichigo had disappeared.

"Ichigo, where are you?" She asked, as she looked into the kitchen, finding him standing in front of the sink.

"I'm right here." Ichigo said as he twisted his t-shirt, ringing water from it.

Orihime frowned as she noticed the footprints Ichigo had left behind on the floor. But with one look at his bare chest, arms, and back, she forgot all about it, and blushed slightly. This had not been the first time she saw Ichigo shirtless. Both of them had participated in that beach party held by a few members of Soul Society…

_**GoldDragon08**_: _I presume Orihime has carpet in her apartment, but maybe from the front door to the kitchen, it's tiled? Only for this story :S_

Ichigo seemed to be focused on drying his shirt, so Orihime crept behind him, and draped the towel over his shoulders, holding it there as she leaned her head on his back. Orihime sighed. Ichigo stopped what he was doing, and reached up to take Orihime's hands. He slowly turned around, but the towel fell to the ground.

"Your hands are cold…" Orihime whispered as she looked deeply into Ichigo's eyes, but did not pull her hands away.

Instead, she took Ichigo's right hand into both hands, and breathed on it, rubbing it with her hands and her left cheek.

"I've never seen you with your hair up before." Ichigo said, blushing as Orihime kissed his hand with small, butterfly kisses. "You look nice."

Ichigo meant to step forward and embrace Orihime, but he slipped on the wet tiles. His body collided with Orihime, and they went down together. Ichigo pulled Orihime close to him with his right arm, while trying to stop the fall with his left hand. However, this was to no avail. Orihime landed hard on her back, which winded her. Ichigo landed on top of her. Being used to getting hurt, the fall did not really hurt Orihime. Ichigo raised his head, and looked into Orihime's eyes.

"Oh, shit!" Ichigo swore, worry evident on his face. "I'm so sorry."

Then he realized where his head had landed: Orihime's ample chest. Ichigo's face turned beat red, and he sprang up, as Orihime looked at him curiously.

"I'm so damn sorry, Orihime." Ichigo said, pulling the hair on his head.

_Great!_ Ichigo thought. _Now Orihime's going to think that I'm perverted like Keigo or that Vizard Lisa Yadomaru…_

Orihime got up to her feet as Ichigo stepped back, quite fearful as he watched her quietly rub the back of her head. Ichigo's embarrassment only grew as he noticed that her robe had not been tied up, and Orihime was wearing a panty and tank top. The panty was nothing special, just ordinary white with a light green hue with a ribbon tied into a bow near the front. However, the tank top was another story. Ichigo could clearly see her cleavage as well as the indents from her nipples since she was not wearing a bra. Ichigo covered his eyes.

"Ah!" Ichigo cried out. "Orihime, tie your robe up quick, I can see everything!"

"Then why are you peeking?" Orihime gave Ichigo a quizzical look as he tried hiding his eyes more.

Ichigo turned away, and gritted his teeth in angst. Orihime sighed, covered herself back up, and picked up Ichigo's shirt.

"You can take a shower or a bath if you want." Orihime told him. "Towels are in the linen closet. I'll put a shorts and t-shirt for you on a small table by the bathroom door."

Ichigo turned back to face her, but she had turned away, and was walking out of the kitchen.

**

* * *

**

The water cascaded onto Ichigo's aching body. He relished the warm water lapping at his feet and the spray he got from the shower head. Orihime had told him to put his wet clothes outside for her to put to dry on wooden dryers she would put up. Of course, Ichigo did not want Orihime touching his underwear, so he reserved the right to take care of his own nasty garment (from his point of view, his underwear was really dirty, but in reality it was not really. Plus Orihime might have enjoyed…never mind.)

Ichigo turned off the water all too soon. Sure he wanted to stay for maybe half an hour more, but he knew that Orihime's water bill might get too high, and he did not want her to pay more on his behalf. He grabbed the towel from a hook that was just outside the bathing area, and wiped his skin. The window was open to let the steam out of the small room, and he shivered as a cool breeze blew into the room. Ichigo went to the door, and opened it a crack. Just as Orihime had said, she had placed a t-shirt and shorts on a small wooden table by the door. Ichigo picked up the two garments and put them on. They were both really big, even on Ichigo. He wondered what the reason was put decided not to speak to Orihime about it because she might have known something like this would have happened.

Ichigo opened the door more fully, and looked around. All the lights were off, and Orihime was already in bed. Ichigo could see her because the only bathroom was the one attached to her bedroom, for convenience sake. Ichigo wiped his hair, and picked up his boxer shorts underwear, and carried it to where Orihime had put the rest of his clothes on the wooden dryer. It was by an open window, which was sheltered from the rain because of the shape of the roof.

Ichigo put his underwear on the lower rung. He was careful not to make much sound. He only used the light from the bathroom, but had also used a small kido spell, which he had learned from Tessai. He quietly opened the door to the linen closet, and took out a thin blanket and a small pillow. He turned off the light to the bathroom and quietly made it to the bedroom door when he heard the coo of a dove. He froze, the light from the kido spell going out. He slowly turned his head to see Orihime sitting up in her bed.

"Sorry for waking you." Ichigo stammered as Orihime got up from her bed and Ichigo turned to face her.

She walked over to him, and Ichigo tried saying something, but he just ended up looking the fool, mumbling incoherently as Orihime took the blanket and pillow from his hands.

"Lay with me." Orihime said, grabbing hold of Ichigo's left hand.

There was a crash of lightning, and the room was lit for an instant. Orihime pulled Ichigo, who could do nothing but obey. He swallowed nervously as he held her small, soft hand. Lightning illuminated the room once again, and Ichigo's eyes widened as his heart started pounding in his chest. The way she had been sleeping had caused part of her panty to be wedged in between her butt cheeks. Ichigo looked away, nervously as she let go of his hand. They stood at opposite sides of the bed.

_Oh, Sweet, Tender, Juicy, Good-Gracious! _Ichigo thought. _She is so damn beautiful, and she wants me to sleep with her?_

The impact of the words hit Ichigo, and he felt winded. Orihime climbed onto the bed, lifting the sheet, as she slipped her legs underneath it, and smiled up at Ichigo. She reached for Ichigo's hand, and pulled him. He placed his knee on the bed, and his nervousness grew ten-fold as Orihime came closer to him.

"Are you sure we should be…" Ichigo didn't want to say 'sleeping together'. "…in the same bed?"

"Why not?" Orihime asked, her smile leaving her face. "Don't you want to be with me?"

Ichigo mentally reprimanded himself. Wordlessly, he sucked it up and climbed into bed with Orihime, who smiled at his silent gesture: He wanted to sleep with her...I don't mean it in that way; Or do I? Ichigo laid down on the bed, pulling the blanket up as Orihime snuggled close to him. Ichigo put his right hand around her as she put her right on his chest while her left hand was under him. She sighed, relishing in the contact they were sharing. Exhaustion overrode Ichigo's nervousness. It had been one hell of a day. He closed his eyes and gave into the oblivion that threatened to take him over.

"I'm so happy." Orihime said, bringing Ichigo away from peaceful sleep.

"Hmm?" Ichigo made a sound with his throat.

"I-I only dreamed of having you here with me." Orihime whispered into Ichigo's ear, and he could hear the quiet nervousness that she exuded: This was the first time for both of them... "Now it's really happening."

Ichigo's blood rushed to his heart, and adrenaline started pumping through his veins as the magnitude of her soft words smacked him in the head. Orihime had started rubbing his chest. At first she was moving her arm in small circles, and then they got bigger. Ichigo's muscles tensed as he realized that her hand was about to brush against his member, which had become erect, which was quite usual for boys when they fell asleep. Ichigo grabbed her hand, and shifted himself on the bed so that his face was merely inches away from hers.

"Orihime." Ichigo said. "Maybe-I don't think-"

Her lips captured his. Before they started going out, and even during the first few months, Orihime had been really hesitant to show Ichigo how she felt, and would wait for him to make the first move when they were physical with each other. But now, things had become different. Now Orihime was free to show how much she felt, and this was the only way she knew how. She wiggled closer to Ichigo, and wrapped her arms around the boy that had become the man she needed when he went to her rescue. He had been there for her for the past year and a half, and he had shown sides of himself that no one, not even his family ever saw. Ichigo's mind reeled as he kissed his girlfriend back. How can he deny her when she was in need of his body and soul? He wrapped her into an embrace that was kind of uncomfortable for him, but he ignored it. He thought that it would have been really dangerous if they were to be intimate together like this, but it felt so _right_.

They separated. The storm grew more intense outside, and the thunder reminded them of this. Orihime squealed as the lightning poured into the room. She buried her head into Ichigo's chest. Ichigo smiled as he held her tightly. Sweat began forming on his brow, but he ignored it. The rain started pounding the apartment, and they could both hear the water washing the roof, down the shingles, and into the gutters. Ichigo breathed in the warm air, taking in the watermelon scent of Orihime's shampoo in her hair, coupled with sweat and trace amounts of body odor. Orihime did the same, smelling Ichigo's clean but sweaty chest and arms. They could hear both heartbeats hammering away in their chests. Ichigo could barely feel Orihime's breasts, but he did not dwell on it. Orihime and Ichigo's legs were intertwined with one another.

Slowly, gently, Ichigo kissed her head. He rubbed her right shoulder with his left hand, gently squeezing her. He remembered how cute she had looked earlier that week, when they went to a pet store as part of their date. She had looked at the Tea-cup Terriers, and 'awed' at their cuteness, picking one up from the pen. She hugged the dog gently as it licked her hand. Her smile was genuine. It was times like those Ichigo treasured most. He loved the way she looked when she kissed the dog, and rubbed its furry head.

"I love you." Ichigo said to Orihime. "I'm glad I came here, sweetheart."

"I'm glad you came here too." Orihime said, moving her head so that she could look into Ichigo's eyes. "And I love you too, Ichigo."

Her eyes and skin reminded Ichigo of cookie dough. Let's have a taste: Ichigo brushed her cheek, pushing a few strands of hair out of the way. He cupped her cheek, and kissed her lips, causing her to moan. It was rare for them to French-Kiss, tongue and all because they did not know what really to do, but this time, Ichigo made sure that he took things slowly. He first licked her bottom lip, and sucked on it slowly. He then kissed her again, flicking his tongue in and out, licking her teeth and upper lip. She opened her mouth, and let her own tongue mingle with his. Both mouths opened, and both tongues massaging each other made both of them enjoy each other a bit more. They took each other's breath away. They parted, and inhaled slowly.

"That was something else." Ichigo said, smiling shyly.

"That was awesome." Orihime agreed, smiling as she cupped Ichigo's face. "You should come to stay more often."

By now, they had become very hot and were both sweating all over. This made both of their bodies produce body odor as well, and coupled with this was the secretion of pheromones. The open windows in the apartment did not help either, because they could smell the wet earth outside. The rain soothed them so that they became much more relaxed with each other as well, and the darkness added the element of surprise; they did not know what was about to happen.

Suddenly, Ichigo rolled on top of Orihime, threw off the thin, cotton blanket, and gave her a devastating kiss (That means it was oh so good). Ichigo started kissing Orihime's face all over, but started leaving a trail of butterfly kisses going from her mouth, down her jaw-line, to the back of her jaw, to her ear, and he kissed behind her ear. She allowed him to do this, and moved her head so that he had better access. She tried licking him on his shoulder as well, just to tease him. His kisses and body contact made her moan, and this urged Ichigo on. He started kissing her neck, down to her collar bone. His hands remained planted on either side because he did not want his body to press down on her with his full weight. He shifted himself so that he was on her right side, and used his left hand to pull up Orihime's arm, squeezing it gently as his right hand rubbed her belly. The cloth from the tank top was a bit moist from her warm sweat, and it stuck to her. Ichigo could not control himself, and started pulling Orihime's shirt up, and was getting dangerously close to revealing her chest. He only realized this when his forearm pressed up against her breast.

Ichigo's eyes widened, and then they both sat up together, and Ichigo backed away from Orihime.

"I-I'm s-so-sorry!" Ichigo said, worriedly since he thought that he had crossed the line he had thought that he would never cross. "I took things too far."

Orihime inched forward, getting closer to Ichigo, who could only watch as she took both of his hands, and wordlessly, slowly, sensuously, held Ichigo's hands to her stomach, and brought them both up the length of her body to her chest. Ichigo's breath caught in his throat as Orihime didn't stop. Orihime brought her shirt up slightly, revealing the bottom of both breasts, and Ichigo's hands were pressed onto her breasts. They were so soft; Ichigo thought they would have felt different, maybe a little harder, but these orbs of flesh were so tender, so befitting of women, that he gained a new respect for the female body. They both crossed a line, was there any going back?

Orihime let go of Ichigo's hands, and took off the tank top. Ichigo took back his hands as he watched Orihime as she also took the hair tie from her head, and shook her hair free. The soft strands smacked Ichigo in the face, and he laughed a bit at the irony; Orihime was usually the awkward one, but here she was, taking the lead. Her hair curled, adding another element to her body that no one saw before except for Tatsuki, who knew Orihime the longest. Ichigo could only watch the beauty smile before him. Light from streetlights illuminated the room slightly, so that was how they could see each other, and the dim light added the mystery to Orihime. Her hair fell below her shoulders, and hid her breasts somewhat.

"…So Beautiful." Ichigo managed to say, as Orihime's smile grew larger.

If it was not night, Ichigo would have seen her blush. Orihime crawled forward, and pushed Ichigo down onto the bed. Orihime's hair cascaded down from her head and over Ichigo's face. Ichigo could feel her hot breasts lying on his chest as her mouth inched closer…closer…a strand fell once more from Orihime's head…They inched closer…

Feelings of hot and cold, fire and ice ran through both their bodies as their lips captured each other in a moment in history that was so sincere, so decadently placed and timed that there are no words to describe the feelings behind the kiss. It was previously written here that their bodies were in a circumstance where they might mate, but there is more to it than that. This kiss, this moist, luscious sign of love and care spoke more than a hundred words ever could. This kiss tapped into their logical portions of their brains, while their bodies became aroused in other areas. They both knew that this was their destiny. This was perfect. This was LOVE, and it would not die.

They would not stop loving each other, they would fight to remain close to one another, they would adapt to the changes to come, they would overcome obstacles, break through barriers, smash through walls, and do what must be done to make things work. In that kiss, in that sign of love, they showed each other what they meant to each other. Forget the breasts bouncing around; the **kiss** is the pinnacle, the point of contact that resonated most within their very hearts and souls! They would never find that again with anybody else. Ichigo could not have the same feelings for someone like Rukia Kuchiki, and Orihime could not show the same love to Uryu Ishida even if she tried although both Ichigo and Orihime were close to their other friends.

Orihime was for Ichigo, as Ichigo was for Orihime: Fucking period.

The two of them parted the kiss. So what happens now? Should they have sex, or just go to sleep in each other's arms?

_**Story Rated M, so here we go**_:

The thin and moist fabric of the t-shirt Ichigo was wearing became irritating, and Orihime decided it was time to level the playing field. Ichigo felt her curious hands work at pulling his shirt up, so he helped her by sitting up, and she took off his shirt. She attacked him with awesome, wet kisses that started at his forehead, to his nose, mouth, neck, and chest, where she sucked randomly on Ichigo's exposed skin. Ichigo's breath hitched in his throat as he enjoyed the hot kisses and licks Orihime abused him with. He let out a moan, urging Orihime on. Ichigo and Orihime grabbed each other, steadying each other as Orihime trailed her tongue across Ichigo's chest, over scars, past his Hairless nipples.

In the meantime, Ichigo looped on finger into the side of Orihime's panty, and gently pulled on it. Orihime came to the shorts that Ichigo was wearing, and put both hands on either side of the shorts, and started pulling. Ichigo lay on the bed again, and straightened his legs so that Orihime could continue. She revealed dark, course hair, which was neatly trimmed and shaped like a heart. With the last tug on Ichigo's shorts, his manhood slapped Orihime in the chin. Orihime was as surprised as Ichigo. Orihime laughed a bit, easing some anxiety they both felt.

"Sorry." Ichigo said, blushing although Orihime could not see it. "I think it's my turn again."

"But I just started having fun." Orihime mockingly pouted. "Come on, Ichigo."

Ichigo took off the shorts as quickly as he could, and took Orihime's right leg. She lay back down on the bed, and Ichigo started massaging her foot. At first, it tickled Orihime, but as time went on, it started feeling good, _really_ good. Ichigo sucked on her pinky toe, gently moving to the other toes until he came to her big toe. He kissed underneath it, and continued rubbing her feet in all the right places. Orihime giggled, but then her quiet laughter turned to moans of pleasure as Ichigo turned his interest to Orihime's left foot, doing the same thing. Slowly, he began massaging both legs, concentrating on one leg, and then moving to the other, and then back again only to massage something else. Orihime was thoroughly enjoying herself. She never knew Ichigo was such a good massager, but it probably helps being the son of a physician. Ichigo probably had experience with working with patients in the Kurosaki Clinic.

He moved up her shins, to her knees, and then her thighs. He turned her over, and rubbed her butt-cheeks through the fabric of her panty, which was fun for him and felt good to Orihime. Since she was on her stomach, Ichigo decided he could give Orihime a full back rub. Orihime told him to keep going. He moved in circular motions on her lower back, using both hands. He moved up her back, rubbing out any tenseness that he could find which was pretty minimal to begin with.

Of course, Ichigo had to move Orihime's hair so that he had access to her shoulders. He gently squeezed the back muscles closest to her neck, and she let out a moan. Orihime rolled onto her back, and grabbed Ichigo's hand, pulling him onto her. Their faces were quite close, and their chests were touching; Ichigo's was fully pressed to Orihime's. Ichigo's lips brushed against Orihime's ever so slightly, and he parted with her.

"Is this it then?" Ichigo asked. "I didn't know we would make it so far. I had no idea, so I didn't bring any condoms with me if you wanted to do anything else. I mean I want to go further…that is, if you were ready…but I hope you don't think I'm a pervert or anything…Ugh, I sound like an idiot."

Orihime sat up and took Ichigo's hand in both of hers.

"But you were waiting for this to happen." Orihime said. "That's why you trimmed your hair. You were thinking of me, so I have to think of you, too."

Orihime got off the bed, and went to the bathroom, turning on the light. Ichigo squinted, blocking the excessive light from his eyes with his hand as Orihime rummaged through her mirror-cabinet. She turned off the light, but then turned on the reading lamp on a night-table that was right beside her bed. She had produced a box of condoms from the cabinet.

"I knew this day was going to happen." Orihime said, blushing, which added to her overall beauty. "Chizuru gave me this and made me promise to use it when you and I decided to 'do it'…"

"Do you _want_ to do it?" Ichigo asked, kind of worried about Orihime's feelings since this was a really big undertaking, "If you feel like you're not ready-"

Orihime slipped off her panty, silencing Ichigo as he just stared. He wanted to look away, but just _couldn't_. Orihime had also trimmed her hair down there to make it like a landing strip. His stare made Orihime blush all over. Ichigo stood up from the bed, and faced Orihime. He was clearly still aroused. Orihime looked away from his member, smiling a little bit.

"What's so funny?" Ichigo asked, curiously.

"I'm just a bit nervous." Orihime said. "But I want to do this. It feels so right."

Ichigo walked over to Orihime, and kissed her on the lips, and embraced her for a moment. Orihime blushed more because she felt the iron-hot rod touching her pelvis. Ichigo reached into the box of condoms, and pulled one packet out. He opened it, but before he could put it on, Orihime took it from him. Ichigo looked at her wide eyed, but then he understood as Orihime pulled out from the box another smaller packet. She opened the smaller packet, and poured a gel into the condom, for lubrication. She then grasped Ichigo's member, confident in her abilities. Ichigo shuddered as Orihime touched his…wee wee.

Orihime used both hands and slid the condom on Ichigo's length. It was snug on him. Taking a breath, Orihime looked at her handiwork.

"How does it feel?" Orihime asked in a hushed tone.

"Like someone put a rubber glove on my dick." Ichigo replied, laughing a bit. "It can't be helped. Let's do this."

Ichigo and Orihime kissed each other once more. Ichigo started trailing kisses down Orihime's neck to her left arm, which he started massaging as he had done to her feet. He used his mouth to send small electric impulses to Orihime's brain with his kisses. He licked her fingers although he did not really want to taste himself on her, but did it so that she would be pleased. Then, Ichigo kissed Orihime's chest horizontally, above her nipples, to her other arm, and massaged that arm much in the same way he had done to her left arm. Ichigo finished, and Orihime took both of Ichigo's hands, and placed them square on each breast, this time making sure he was fully grasping them. Her nipples were erect already, and Ichigo experimented with Orihime by squeezing them a tiny bit. He bent his head lower and started kissing and licking the two orbs of flesh as well as her breast bone. Orihime moaned as Ichigo made his way to her right nipple. He kissed it, and rimmed it around the areola. He did the same with the other tit.

Orihime took Ichigo by the hand, and they both climbed into bed once more. Orihime lay on her back, and breathed out a bit nervously. She trusted Ichigo to take care of her. She trusted him not to hurt her. Sweat was beading on Ichigo's forehead, and he wiped it away with the back of his hand. Suddenly, thunder cracked, and lightning lit up the room. Orihime spread her legs as Orihime knelt in front of her. He went onto his arms, and they were face-to-face. Orihime reached down with both hands, spread her wet, lower folds, and grasped the wrapped gift that was about to be delivered. Together, they began the first endeavor of the penis and vagina.

Orihime inhaled sharply as she felt the head of Ichigo's member prod in between her folds. Ichigo slowly buried himself into her. Then, Ichigo reached Orihime's hymen. He did not know what it was at first, and did not really feel anything. Orihime said for him to stop, and he froze.

"You want to stop?" Ichigo asked his girlfriend anxiously. "It's okay…"

Ichigo began to pull away, but Orihime cried out.

"No!" She said. "It has to be mine, no one else's."

Orihime had much resolve, and looked dead serious. Ichigo also got serious, and they tried again. This time, there was no going back. Orihime bit her lower lip, and thrust her own hips so that they moved a little faster. Ichigo and Orihime tore through her hymen. Orihime gritted her teeth as pain pulsed at her most sensitive spot.

"FUCK ME HARD!!!" Orihime ordered Ichigo as she pulled on his hair a bit.

He knew she was in some sort of pain, but she had made it clear that he could not stop, so he started thrusting his hips, tearing through the membrane of skin that remained. There was a bit of blood, but they would not know until later. Ichigo and Orihime took it slow. Orihime's mouth made an 'o', and she moaned loudly with each thrust, coupled with words or phrases to keep Ichigo going:

"Yes! Right there! That's right! Oh! Oh! Oh!" Orihime cried as tears welled up in her eyes.

Tears came out of her eyes, but still she persisted. Ichigo started going a bit faster, and made his member thrust into Orihime at a certain angle, and he had no idea what this would cause. While Orihime was experiencing some pleasure mixed with pain, Ichigo felt little to nothing. The lubrication and powder in the condom had numbed him so he would last longer. Orihime wrapped her legs around Ichigo's midsection, but then used her hands to pull her legs up, giving Ichigo more access to her core. Orihime's cries became more pronounced as Ichigo continued to move in and out of her. Sweat beaded on both their brows, and all across their bodies. The sheets were getting wet from the moisture from their bodies. Orihime's hair had also become wet, and clung to both her and Ichigo's bodies. Orihime clenched her eyes shut as the feelings of pleasure intensified with each stroke. Ichigo was resolved that he would see this to the end. He would not let her down. He would persevere and make sure that this event in their lives would be a memorable one for both of them…

It took them 36.387 thrusts before Orihime climaxed…She did not arch her back, and she did not make any sound. Ichigo had no idea what had happened, but now, he felt hot liquid surrounding the condom as well as Orihime's inner walls squeezing him, so he pulled out because he thought maybe it was leaking his seed from the condom. The bed was wet with Orihime's ejaculation and a bit of blood from the hymen being torn. Ichigo's eyes widened. He went to the bathroom, and got a dry towel. Orihime had not moved. She was floored by the odd yet highly pleasurable sensation that had overcome her; her orgasm, as contractions faded to become memories. She had no idea what it was. She only assumed women never had orgasms, or at least that's what Tatsuki had told her. Her mind was blank, and she didn't protest when Ichigo gently pushed her off the wet space they had created. He spread the towel, and made sure it was dry. He climbed into bed with Orihime, but first put back on his shorts after throwing away the used condom, and told Orihime to put on her panty. Absent-mindedly, she did.

"What just happened?" Orihime asked Ichigo. "Did we break something? Am I going to be okay?"

"I hope so." Ichigo said. "Maybe we should go to your doctor's tomorrow. I just want you to know that I Love You, Orihime."

Ichigo lay on his right side, propped up on his right elbow. Orihime had been pushed to be on her right side also. She turned her face to look at her man. She smiled and stroked his face.

"We just Made Love." Orihime said. "So I know you Love Me, and I hope you know that I Love You, too."

Ichigo retrieved the blanket from the bottom of the bed. He covered both himself and Orihime with the blanket, and they cuddled for a bit. Orihime turned off the lamp that was on her night-table. As darkness took over the room, so did the need to sleep. Orihime was kind of wired, but she had to accept the fact that Ichigo needed to sleep because he did have a hell of a day. Ichigo lay on his back, and fell to sleep, exhausted from the day's experiences. Orihime could only cuddle with him while he slept, but she did not want to overheat him, so after a while, she let go of him. Ichigo did not snore because he did not have any fat that would cause snoring. Orihime closed her eyes, and let the sound of the rain and Ichigo's deep breathing sooth her to a dreamless sleep…

**The End**

_**GoldDragon08:**_ Wow. This chapter is the longest chapter I have ever written for any story. I would have liked to end it with a small twist, but I think you've read enough that isn't really part of Knight of Karakura Town. The real story will continue after mid-terms and other projects are finished. Thanks for reading!!

* * *


	15. Chapter 15

**Knight of Karakura Town: Chapter Fifteen**

_**GoldDragon08**_: Back to the story at hand…

Chizuru had not come down from her and her partner's room. Orihime and Ichigo figured that Chizuru was asleep with her partner. Ichigo made himself and the Princess some tea to calm her down a bit more. While the water boiled on the furnace-stove, Ichigo used a small scissors to trim Orihime's hair so that it was more presentable. Ichigo had done similar hair cuts for soldiers in Shirosaki's Monastery once upon a time…

Suddenly the kettle started whistling as it spewed out steam. Ichigo went to the kettle, and took it off the furnace. He then poured the water over tea leaves in a strainer in a tea-pot. He took two cups and placed them on the table; one in front of the Princess, and one in front of his chair. He then placed the tea-pot on the table.

"The tea has to steep a little bit more." Ichigo said quietly as Orihime smiled shyly. "It might be too hot, too."

"I don't mind." Orihime said, laughing a little bit. "I can pour the tea for both of us."

Orihime got up, as Ichigo widened his eyes. Orihime picked up the tea-pot, and gracefully leaned over to pour Ichigo a cup of tea. Ichigo averted his eyes right away because he could see the Princess' cleavage quite clearly, plus she was very close to him. She poured herself a cup, and sat back down.

"Why is your face red?" Orihime asked Ichigo, who looked back at her. "Are you angry with me? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, no!" Ichigo said, smiling embarrassedly at the Princess. "It's just that- I think…you are beautiful."

"Oh." Orihime said, averting her eyes sadly, since everyone told her that she was beautiful and that they loved her. "Ichigo…"

Orihime trailed off, and then looked at the tea in her cup as steam billowed off the hot liquid.

"What is it Princess?" Ichigo asked, a little sheepishly, while cursing himself for being so shy around someone who needed him to be a bit better than that. "Is something troubling you?"

"Do you like me?" Orihime asked after a moment of silence. "Not as a princess, and not because of my 'beauty'- Do you like me as a person? Do you think that if I was not a princess, that we would be together now?"

Ichigo stared at the Princess, taken back by what she had just said. If she was not the Princess of Hueco Mundo, she would not have met Ichigo. If she had not meant so much to the people of Hueco Mundo, then he would not be protecting her…If he had been detached and obeyed his training from the Monastery, Orihime would have already been killed. Ichigo would have been the one to do it. But he was compelled to not kill her. Her personality was driven, caring, a bit self-conscious, but she loved the people. She was a loving being who saw goodness in most people. She was bright enough to make sure things would not go wrong. However, because of Shirosaki and other factors, she was now faced with certain death. What could Ichigo say to comfort her and what should he say now? There was only one choice.

"Princess." Ichigo said. "You could have ordered Chizuru and me to help you escape the city, but you have chosen to stay. You chose to stay because you believe in the ideal of righteousness. You don't have to fight, but I can see the person you really are. You are not someone who stands for selfishness or cowardice. You are someone to be admired; you take the road less travelled. You ask me if I like you. How can I not like you? People like you are the reason I'm alive today. People like you give me purpose and strength. I admit that I don't really know who you are, and that we are really strangers, but when the time comes to do what is right, I know I can count on you. You are a good person, a worthy person of the title Princess. You believe that your father Sosuke Aizen is fighting the good fight; for the people of Hueco Mundo against the tyrants of Essess. You believe in what is good for the people and you are willing to sacrifice it all for my sisters. We are not from Hueco Mundo but you are willing to put your life on the line to do what you have to. I see you as someone worth fighting and dying for…"

Orihime sniffled as drops of tears fell from her eyes. Everything had gone wrong despite her planning. The way Ichigo made her sound was like someone on a pedestal. He made her feel like they weren't meant to be together…

Ichigo got up and walked confidently to the Princess, and knelt down on his knee. He wrapped his arms around her and embraced her.

"Don't be afraid of what is to come." Ichigo said through clenched teeth. "We will see this through. You will not die in vain; I will make sure of it."

"I'm not all that good at all!" Orihime said into Ichigo's ear as she came off the chair, and together they held each other on the kitchen floor. "I should have done better! I should have stopped him; I could have stopped Shirosaki from killing my guards."

"You don't know that." Ichigo said softly. "If he wanted to kill you all, you would all be dead. If you were not worth anything, then he would not waste his time on you. You are worth far more than you know. People love and adore you. I can see why. As matter of fact, I think that I lo-"

The feeling of cold metal against his neck made Ichigo stop mid-sentence. This caused Orihime to look up at him, only to widen her eyes and stand up as she saw who had placed the blade to Ichigo's neck.

"You would wrap _my_ Princess in rags?" A very livid Ulquiorra Schiffer snarled. "And you would touch her as if she was some common _nobody_?"

Orihime slowly got up, as Ichigo remained knelt on the floor with Ulquiorra's sword by his neck. They had been so preoccupied with conversation that neither Orihime nor Ichigo had heard Ulquiorra enter the residence. The way the General of Hueco Mundo looked like frightened Orihime. Parts of his armor had been dented and blood had been smeared on top of it. There were splotches of dried blood on the General's angry (Normally cold and without emotion) face.

"General S-Schiffer." Orihime stammered. "Please, remove your sword from Ichigo's neck!"

"You would call this mere _boy_ by his first name," Ulquiorra's voice had immense hurt and frustration in it. "And then you would call me by rank? This is by far the worst insult you could have given me, Princess. However, I will overlook that since this boy will not be coming with us. Princess, I am taking you back to Hueco Mundo, and I will report that you have been psychologically traumatized by the events that have happened in this miserable town. If I had my army here, I would have seen to it that this whole damn town would be burnt to the ground. This town is filled with trash. Royalty should have known better than to associate with lowlifes like this."

"He's not a lowlife!" Orihime cried. "He's a noble man! He is my only protection in this town. And I can't leave! His sisters are in mortal danger; if I leave, they will be killed."

"It does not matter how many children from this town has to die." Ulquiorra said, returning to a cold state. "The country you represent should be far more important to you than this mere punk's family. Your country outnumbers this town one hundred to one. You will come with me, Princess, by force if necessary."

"I won't do it." Orihime folded her arms in front of her chest. "Ichigo has been nice to me; I can't just leave him so that Shirosaki can kill him and his sisters! I have a duty to him-"

"And what about your duty to _me_, Princess?" Ulquiorra could not stop the emotion from entering his voice. "What about the reasons that the Grand Armies of Hueco Mundo fight? You were once the most vocal voice in why we needed to protect our lands. It was for you why I fought. Princess Orihime, _I Love You_!"

Orihime's eyes widened. Ichigo had of course not moved or said anything during this time, but he slowly got up, facing the Princess.

"You!" Ulquiorra's anger returned. "I never gave you word that you could stand!"

Ulquiorra took the blade from Ichigo's neck, and prepared to stab the boy.

"Wait!" Ichigo said, and Ulquiorra froze to see what would happen as Princess looked into the Princess' eyes. "I'm not the only person you have an obligation to, Princess. You have to go with your General now, and the way I see it, you will be more than safe _out_ of the town than in."

"You can't just expect me to abandon people who I am _responsible_ for!" Orihime said. "I need to-"

"My sisters are my responsibility." Ichigo cut her off. "They are mine alone, that is all."

"I can't!" Orihime said, fresh tears coming to her eyes.

Ichigo made the choice for her. He quickly grabbed her, and placed three fingers on certain spots on her skull. Orihime's eyes were wide in surprise, and just as she tried to scream, she lost consciousness.

"The Three Points of Blackness." General Ulquiorra said surprised. "Only the Covert Operations/Second Division of Essess' army had any training in those techniques!"

"Well, I guess you're wrong." Ichigo passed Orihime's limp body to Ulquiorra, who sheathed his sword. "Take her and get the fuck out of this place now."

"You misinterpret my surprise for gratitude, punk." Ulquiorra said. "I will take my Princess and leave this town. Whatever you plan on doing for your sisters are up to you, no one else."

Ulquiorra left Ichigo standing in the kitchen as Chizuru came down the stairs.

"General Ulquiorra?" She said. "Why are you here? Where are you taking the Princess?"

"Agent Chizuru Honsho!" Ulquiorra said. "I order you to get your partner. All surviving members of Hueco Mundo are to evacuate this town at once!"

"I can't just get up and leave!" Chizuru cried. "What about Ichigo Kurosaki; his sisters are faced with death if we don't do-"

"I don't remember giving you permission to speak." Ulquiorra stared daggers at the red-haired girl. "We are leaving immediately."

Ichigo passed Chizuru and ran up the stairs. He went into Chizuru's room, and saw a woman with purple hair lying on the bed. She breathed deeply, but it sounded _wet_. She had to be sick. Ichigo picked her up and took her downstairs. Chizuru looked at Ichigo, astounded that he would do this.

"Ichigo, what are you doing?" Chizuru asked, exasperated. "I can't just leave-"

"You will." Ichigo said. "Because your partner needs you, and you are the only person able to protect and care for her."

Ulquiorra placed the Princess on his horse, and placed a blanket on the horse. General Nelliel Tu Oderschvank came up with Ayame and Shun'o who were the last surviving members of Orihime's guard detail.

"These are the only survivors left in the town." General Oderschvank reported to Ulquiorra. "Let's go."

Ichigo put Chizuru's partner on top of General's Oderschvank without her permission.

"What the hell, boy?" Neliel asked, but Ichigo ignored her.

"Chizuru." Ichigo said. "Lead them to the secret entrance in the Red District."

"You're insane!" She cried. "Without any backup, your sisters are going to die! You don't have any weapons, you don't have any armor, and you are one against unknown odds! Ichigo, please-"

"And what would I achieve letting you stay here to help me?" Ichigo interrupted her. "What could we possibly do to win? I'm sorry, but this is how things are going to be."

Chizuru bowed her head in defeat.

"You can use anything in the house." She said. "God's Speed, Ichigo."

The Generals of Hueco Mundo, the guards of Princess Orihime Inoue, and the spy Chizuru Honsho with her partner left Ichigo Kurosaki alone. Only Chizuru looked back. In the meanwhile, Orihime remained unconscious. Bodies littered the streets. The Generals and killed many of Shirosaki's men and women by themselves. Ichigo inhaled deeply, and exhaled slowly. The assassins from Essess would be waiting for Orihime at the Church in the middle of the town. There were many things that Ichigo had to do to prepare for this encounter, and the night was still young.

**

* * *

**

General Commander of Essess Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto gazed upon the dark horizon. In the distance he could see the faint bonfires started by the opposing armies of Hueco Mundo. In the morning, it would be time to put an end to the war. In the morning, it would be the end of the ten-year conflict, where all of the capable men and women of both great nations would pit themselves against each other. Everything led to this one battle that would decide everything. General Commander Yamamoto stood some miles away from the main camp of the armies. Only he and a handful of soldiers were awake. He could not sleep, not with the eminent threat of Hueco Mundo looming in the distance. The General Commander had thousands of lives depending on him; in fact, he had the responsibility of destroying Sosuke Aizen in order to bring back reason and justice to both Essess and Hueco Mundo. Only those in Essess and Aizen's closest allies knew the true nature of the man. Aizen lusted for power, and he would risk everything to get it. Sure, he might be angry at the fact that more people liked Princess Orihime than him, but he did not care. As long as there were people who followed his orders, that would be suffice until he wrenched the crown and throne from King Reiou of Essess.

That was what this war was about: Aizen rising to power to claim both countries. He did not really care about anyone else, or that was what General Commander Yamamoto thought. The soldiers of Essess had to be ready when the time came. They had to make sure that this would be the last effort for them to stop this conflict. The General Commander had sent mighty warriors to kill the Princess, which was Essess' ace in the hole, so to speak. With their Princess killed, lost to the enemy, then Aizen's rule and plans would be for naught. Hueco Mundo would not be so faithful to Aizen, who ruled mostly be fear and the desperate needs of the people. Without the country's backing, Aizen's group would be severely limited unless of course he was using the mind control he was known for using. The General Commander of Essess could only hope that Aizen's power could not control every soldier in his armies, otherwise the assassination of the Princess would have been for nothing, and even worse: Some of the best warriors would be miles away from the battle, and they could not lend a hand when they were needed most.

"Ahem." Said Seven Division's General, Sajin Komamura, who was a huge _man_ with a huge helmet that sealed his identity from everyone. "A moment to speak, sir?"

"At ease." The General Commander said. "What would you like to speak to me about?"

"This does not seem right." General Komamura said. "Shirosaki is planning something. Why would he be willing to give us our enemy's position? What would he have to gain by doing this after we destroyed his Monastery? For what purpose is he doing this?"

"It cannot be helped." Commander General Yamamoto said. "Scouts confirmed that Hueco Mundo's armies were advancing, so we had no choice but to stop them from attacking any of our strongholds and cities."

"They did destroy five cities while they were moving." General Komamura said. "We lost allies because of it. The Bounts and Vizards decided to work together, and they defended one of the cities. They fought gallantly, but the vast armies of Hueco Mundo and their mighty generals destroyed them all. If they can destroy both the Bounts and Vizards, then do we have any hope? Both the Bounts and Vizards were strong enough to take on our Generals, and perhaps even kill us. What can we do?"

"We just have to carry on undeterred, and bravely to our demise." General Commander Yamamoto replied. "We need to give the peoples of this world a fight to be remembered. We fight this battle so that no others have to face the tyranny of Aizen ever again. We fight so future generations will not ever need to fight again. We need to stand for Justice. It cannot be helped that the enemies are people and animals with no evil in them, but we need to make the sacrifice so that Aizen can be stopped."

"When I find Kaname, I will make sure he is snapped back to his old self." General Komamura said, clenching his fist. "I will break Aizen's hold on Kaname, and he will help us bring the people of Hueco Mundo back to their senses so that there would be less bloodshed."

"I hope we can do this." General Commander Yamamoto said. "For all of our sakes."

* * *

"We outnumber them three to one, sir." A Hueco Mundo scout reported to General Zommari Leroux. "And that is not counting the creatures we have in our control."

"Then this will be a good fight." General Leroux said. "Without Generals Schiffer, Oderschvank, or Jaegerjaquez to lead their armies, we cannot be certain that we will be evenly matched to the Generals of Essess. The weapons gathered from their Bounts and Vizards will prove to be worth receiving."

Suddenly, Acting-General of General Schiffer's army Arturo Plateado, General Tia Harribel, and General Coyote Stark walked into General Leroux's tent.

"What is the meaning of this?" General Leroux said.

"They're gone, sir." Plateado reported.

"Who?" General Leroux asked.

"Lord Aizen and his allies Ichimaru and Kaname have vanished." General Stark said; his forehead wrinkled because of the intense worry. "Their armies are now being taken over by posers who will go into battle in their stead. They never said anything when they left, and we have come to believe that-"

"-they have taken a few members of our elite with them." General Harribel finished. "They have abandoned us."

"They would leave us in our hour of glory and need?" Leroux stood to his full height. "Those cowards! They made us believe we would be fighting together so that-"

"My, my." General Szayel Aporro Granz said, clapping his hands as he entered the tent, and the other generals gave room for him to speak. "You all seem to be sleeping on the job."

"What news have you heard that we neglected to receive?" General Harribel said.

"I was probably one of the closest generals in the Hueco Mundo army to have such a close to the King, since he liked the power we had over lesser minds." General Granz said. "He told me what he was planning all along."

The smug smile on General Granz's face was quite disturbing. He looked at his fellow generals with a snobbish aura as he thought that he was superior to all of them because Aizen had confided into him such information that none of the others received.

"Spit it out, Granz." General Stark spat, quite not enthused at the idea that General Granz would have something over their heads. "What did he say to you?"

"By this time tomorrow, we could all be dead, it's true." General Granz said. "But that has not deterred our fair King from doing what he planned all along. Tomorrow is when he will finally obtain his goal of this war. Tomorrow, Essess and Hueco Mundo would be his."

"How?" Plateado asked. "What was King Aizen's goal? What was the purpose we risked our lives for ten years, maybe more?"

**

* * *

**

The night was still as no wind blew. This made it a bit hard to fly as five huge eagles flew silently across the sky. Clouds covered the moon every now and again, but the eagles kept moving. They were in standard formation for bird: In a V, with the lead Eagle carrying the leaders of the planned coup. Aizen, Kaname and Ichimaru rode the lead eagle as they inched further away from their armies, and were coming closer to the capital of Essess: Seireitei. They flew over the outer city of Rokungai as they inched forward more and more. Aizen smiled as he looked at the gleaming tower which was the highest point in the innermost ring of the city. That was where the king would be. That was where destiny would be fulfilled.

Always vigilant, the guardians of Essess had used telescopes and other means to watch out for any signs of trouble. They used animal sounds to make others know that they were about to be invaded or attacked from above. A certain sound was designated for the aerial attack. Before Aizen and his crew reached the tower, everyone was made aware of the threat, and the four guardians of Seireitei were woken up so that they would look to the sky. They went to their stations as the eagles came closer and closer. Aizen and the eagles came from the South-West, so the guardians of the South, West, and North gates were the only ones who could do anything. They all had various weapons to use at their posts. They each took out cannons, and aimed them into the sky. Judging by how far away the eagles were, they made the decision on how much gun powder they would need to attack the flying menaces.

They needed to work quickly; otherwise they would miss their chance. The West Guardian Jidanbo Ikkanzaka was the first to fire his cannon to the sky. The eagles dispersed, as the leader dove to dodge the cannon ball that flew by. The Northern Guardian, Danzomaru fired his cannon and Guardian of the South, Hikonyuto fired his almost right after. The eagles swooped down, climbed back up, and flew to the right and left. Cannons were just not efficiently enough. Archers on top of the wall came to bear. The eagles were too high, except for the leader. The archers took aim, and waited for the eagle to come in range, but it tried to get higher in the air. Several soldiers from the back switched spots with the ones in front, because they were using crossbows. They wound it tighter so that the arrow would be fired with more power so that it would go up higher. They fired their arrows at the leader eagle. The eagle cawed in pain as several arrows punctured its chest. However, the arrows were not enough to kill the eagles, but they did make the eagle unaware that the three guardians had reloaded the cannons, and were ready to fire. Aizen seethed as he pulled on reigns so that the eagle would veer to the right as one cannon ball sailed right by. However, this move made the eagle become in a better angle to be fired at from the archers, and more arrows struck the eagle from below. The eagle cried out as it flapped its wings, trying to get higher and higher. Too preoccupied in watching what was happening to the lead eagle, one of the eagles and the riders did not know when a cannon ball collided with the bird, smashing its ribcage, and tenderizing its heart. The bird cried out in a final call as it started plummeting to the ground. The rest of the eagles flew back into formation as they all passed the walls into the Seireitei.

Aizen signaled for him fellow riders in the other eagles to land their birds. They followed Aizen's bird as they landed in the middle of a deserted street. There had been about five people on each bird except for the lead bird, so it was eighteen soldiers in all including Aizen, Kaname and Ichimaru, but that excluded the soldiers that had fell outside the walls. All of them were quiet as the unsheathed weapons. The played the shadows as they went forward. They used hand signals to communicate. They were all wearing padded footwear so that they would not be making loud sounds while they moved. They were also wearing all black so that they would be less likely to be seen. However, they all witnessed a bright light coming from Jidanbo's post: It was a flare to let soldiers near the royal palace that enemies were there. Aizen made the group of soldiers jog down the streets that led to the center of the city.

There seemed to be no resistance, but that thought was soon retracted as Aizen spotted a few Essess soldiers poised to ambush them. Aizen had seen them because he had seen movement on one of the buildings on a street behind the buildings on the street the group was currently travelling on. Aizen signaled his group to stop. He then made a few hand signals that all could see. Two soldiers near the back lit matches as they burned a piece of fabric on the tips of arrows. Simultaneously, they fired the arrows to the roofs where the ambush would have happened. The arrows exploded in orange flames, and caused the soldiers to leap off the rooftops prematurely. That is when Aizen signaled for his soldiers to pounce on the bewildered Essess guards. The Essess guards had the upper hand because it was their home the battle was at, plus they outnumbered the Hueco Mundo force.

However, Aizen had anticipated a battle such as this one, years before that particular moment. Aizen and his group laid waste to the Essess soldiersbecause their fear made them think illogically. Apparently, they had heard the stories about how Aizen killed people in cold blood, but still took in orphans like the Inoues for his own purposes. The soldiers had at first tried to hold their ground, but after seeing their fellow soldiers being cut to pieces, with blood and entrails spilling onto the ground, they lost their nerve and started running. Aizen and his soldiers ignored them and ran forward towards the center. It was only a matter of time before reinforcements would try to find Aizen's team, so they had to be quick.

They had all trained for these moments. They had covered every angle that was possible, and made decisions based on what-ifs based on Aizen, Ichimaru, and Kaname's knowledge about Essess war policy. Some things may have changed in their absence, but Aizen was sure in his thinking that nothing truly surprising would happen. However, they had all made a mistake: Several of the soldiers had stepped in blood, and had left footprints for the Essess soldiers to follow. Aizen realized this as they were running. He slowed down a bit and the group followed suit. Looking over his shoulder, he spoke to the soldiers who were leaving tracks.

"I'm sorry, but you should stay behind." Aizen said, smiling a little bit. "It seems that you left them a trail to follow."

The group stopped to catch their breaths. Aizen looked at the two soldiers, and put a hand on one of their soldiers.

"You were brave and highly skilled." Aizen said. "It pains me to make a decision such as this, but because of the nature of your track-making, you cannot be allowed to come with us."

"Sir, these fools do not deserve the nice treatment they are being given." Kaname said. "They should be punished to the full extent because they should have known better than to leave bloody tracks."

"Now, Kaname." Aizen said smoothly. "We don't want to sound upset to our brave soldiers, so we?"

"It's not about what upsets them." Kaname retorted. "It's what's right and fair. You two are to stay here and wait for our return. You are to hold off any enemies in the meantime using any means necessary."

Aizen turned away from the two soldiers they were going to leave behind. He started jogging again, without looking back. They ran until they reached the area before the inner-most wall. Aizen signaled his group to lay low. They used mirrors and other means to see if anyone was on top of the wall. Sure enough, archers had positioned themselves on top of the wall. It would have been better if they had used the eagles, but there were other ways of getting around them. Aizen had memorized the blueprints for the whole inner city, including the area before the wall. There was an opening that led to the sewers of the city. Aizen ordered ten of the soldiers to make a diversion while the rest, including Ichimaru and Kaname, would move forward towards their goal. Aizen led the team towards the sewer opening.

Aizen looked to his other group which was about three quarters of a mile away. He lit a match, signaling the other group to commence the operation. They ran forward towards the wall, and the archers started firing on them. The soldiers opened up shields that covered their whole bodies only if they held the shields in certain ways. Aizen and his group looked up to the wall to see what was happening. The archers who were on top of the wall were shifting; they wanted a piece of the action. Aizen sprinted for the door to the sewers, and lifted it off quickly, leaping into the abyss as the last five soldiers followed him, while Kaname closed the opening.

Upon seeing that their jobs were completed, the soldiers for Hueco Mundo retreated into the darkness. The archers could no longer see them as they made their way back to their comrades who had the bloody footprints. In the meanwhile, Aizen and his five minions ran in the sewers through water and waste-matter. Then, they reached a dead end.

"The blueprints say that the sewer indeed stops here." Aizen said to Ichimaru, who was the closest since the others kept on the lookout for any threats. "We need to find out the way into the palace. It would be foolish to make it easy of course, but I know that the king cannot have a different way for the waste to be dispelled from the palace. There is another way."

Aizen took in a deep breath, and leapt into the messy waste. A few moments passed with the soldiers getting anxious as time went by an Aizen did not surface. All of a sudden, Aizen rose out of the water, and gasped for air.

"There's a gate under there." Aizen said. "We need to pry it open to get through."

The soldiers started unpacking things from the sacks that they had on their backs. They opened up random tools until three of them came up with crow-bar-like tools. The soldiers went to work, feelings for the gate. They had to go underneath the liquid, which was quite unpleasant, but if Aizen could do it, then so could they. It took them about ten minutes to open the gate. The opening was very small, but it would have to do. The soldiers held their breaths and went through the opening one by one. Aizen was third last, and found that the soldiers had stopped. Apparently, there was another gate on the other side. The soldiers would have to act fast to get themselves free, otherwise they could all drown. Aizen left his fate up to the soldiers that were up front. He went into a trance, waiting for what was to come, excited by the fact that for once he was doing something rather than sitting in a throne like he normally would do.

Some time passed, and Aizen felt the urge to breathe, making his instincts run wild, however, the king knew better than to struggle. He had every faith in the soldiers that were going to open the gate…

Suddenly, there was a rush of water as the soldiers up front began panicking. Then, Aizen could hear, although under water, that something was moving. It was something metal, and the vibrations of metal rubbing metal travelled through the concrete. The gate was taken off, and the Hueco Mundo soldiers were helped out of the sewage by other soldiers. When Aizen emerged from the sewage, he coughed up some of the nasty water, and inhaled sharply. He wiped his eyes, and looked to the sources of light that surrounded his group. There were soldiers around them, and they were well armed.

"Sosuke Aizen." One of the soldiers said. "We have been expecting you for quite some time."

"And I have been waiting for you, also." Aizen said smoothly as Shirosaki's soldiers helped Aizen's group out of the sewage. "Has the guards above been…_neutralized_?"

"We _are_ the guards." Shirosaki's soldier said, impressing Aizen thoroughly.

Who knew that Shirosaki's reach went this far? Shirosaki's soldiers led Aizen and his group through the catacombs that were the sewers beneath the royal palace. Finally, they came to a ladder that led to the surface. Cautiously, they made their ways up. Aizen, Kaname, and Ichimaru came up to the surface, and looked around. There were no guards or servants at all. Aizen smiled to himself. Everything was going according to plan. Shirosaki's guards continued leading Aizen and his group through the palace, and they headed to the quarters of the king, who would probably be sleeping at this time. It was eerie that not a soul stirred in the palace. Shirosaki's soldiers had been true to their word: There were no guards, because Shirosaki's soldiers _were_ the guards.

They came to the door to the King of Essess' sleeping quarters. Aizen looked back to his group. Ten years had taken a toll on most soldiers. The thought of finally achieving the goal of this whole conflict was finally in Aizen's grasp! His stomach was doing somersaults, as Aizen's elation reached new bounds. Finally, the throne of Essess would be his. Finally, we would get what he deserved. He stood before the door, reminiscing of the things that had led up to this monumental event.

"Ahem." Ichimaru said, walking up to Aizen. "I hate to be a bother, Lord Aizen, but if his family wakes up, they will try to alert the soldiers that are outside."

"There's no need to worry." One of Shirosaki's soldiers said. "Go on in!"

"You have all been wonderful allies in this conflict." Aizen smiled as he spoke from the bottom of his heart to Kaname and Ichimaru, mostly. "I will remember everything you have done and as King of Hueco Mundo _and_ Essess, I will grant you titles of _Lords of the Land_. One of you will stay in Hueco Mundo as ruler in my stead, while the other will remain here, in Essess."

"Then, what's going to happen to you?" Kaname asked, quite stunned that Aizen would give both Ichimaru and him titles as rulers. "I thought you wanted to rule both countries."

"Of course." Aizen said. "You will both answer to me. I will be using the forces of Essess and Hueco Mundo to lay siege to the rest of the world. This was only the beginning; in the years to come, the campaign will be extended to take more countries. The more countries that fall to us, the more land we will all be entitled to rule over. It's the dawn of a new age. And it starts…_now_."

When Aizen said 'now', he opened the doors to the king's quarters, smiling wickedly at the thought of what he was about to do. But the smile faded abruptly as horror, rage, confusion, and disappointment ran through Aizen's being as the stench of rotting corpses assaulted all of their senses.

The king and his family were all on the ground of the sleeping quarters. They had been killed _years ago_, and were just dried, crusty blood and other liquids underneath brown bones. They had been stripped of their clothing and jewelry. The Crown that a king should have worn was nowhere to be seen.

"What the fuck?" Aizen whispered, and then shouted "WHAT THE FUCK?!?"

Suddenly, there was the sound of movement behind him, and then Ichimaru cried out as blood started spraying out of his neck. Aizen whipped around to see Ichimaru clutching at his throat as blood flowed through his fingers and out of his mouth as well. In the meanwhile, Kaname had unsheathed his sword and was fighting valiantly to protect Aizen. The other soldiers of Hueco Mundo were trying to do the same, but then one of Shirosaki's soldiers whistled loudly. Suddenly, out of every door, running from every corridor came more of Shirosaki's soldiers. Aizen's group never stood a chance against the magnitude of soldiers that faced them. It was all over in seconds as every last soldier was butchered. Their blood flowed steadily from their bodies, spraying chaotically, painting the corridor which once was white with crimson life. Kaname picked up a sword, and was fighting frantically to try and stop Shirosaki's soldiers. He succeeded in killing three soldiers, but some of them had spears. T

Kaname was stabbed in many directions by the spears as well as a few long swords.

"For the King!" Kaname yelled as they pushed the weapons further into his body, breaking apart his armor and destroying utterly his organs as he tried one last vain attempt to attack one of the soldiers.

Kaname fell, struggling a little bit, making gurgling sounds and struggling to stay alive. His eyes stopped seeing as blood poured out of his wounds. Aizen was surrounded so tightly that he could not even unsheathe his sword. Panic set in, and Aizen tried using his mind-control techniques on the 50+ soldiers that surrounded him. Several of them laughed at Aizen. For all his planning, for all the times he tried to make people believe that he was something else, something he was not, it was all for nothing. The soldiers took hold of him, and unarmed him. He struggled in vain, but the pushed him to another room. It was the throne room. Aizen seethed as they forced him to sit on the throne, tying his arms to the armrests. The soldiers walked away, with only one standing before Aizen. The soldiers seemed to disappear as fast as they had come.

"He tricked me!" Aizen said. "Shirosaki played me for a fool!"

"Yes, he did." The soldiers had all been wearing black cowls, and this one in particular took off his, revealing a bald man with glowing red eyes. "Do you know what we are?"

"You're just pawns in a game." Aizen said defiantly. "You're nothing, and when I get out of here, I'm going to-"

SPLOOSH!!

The blade moved faster than Aizen could see, moving into his shoulder and out of it in a split second. Pain followed, but Aizen would not submit. He would not let the soldiers seem him be weak, for he was the King of Hueco Mundo, and was above any forms of feeling.

"You better hope I never get out." Aizen seethed. "I'll be coming right for you."

"You mistake us for being normal soldiers." The soldier said. "We are called Sword Fiends. When we die, our bodies convert into weapons anyone can use. Our master Shirosaki created us all using the Zombie Powder. There is a price to us being created, however."

"What price would that be?" Aizen asked, repulsed at Shirosaki's abuse of the rings. "And why the fuck, are you telling me this? You stupid thunder-spunk!"

"Maybe I should give you our master's message first." The Sword Fiend walked away, and retrieved a scroll from a table, allowing Aizen time to cut through the rope on his hands using small razors that the soldiers had neglected to take. "Read this."

The soldier came up to Aizen, and opened the scroll. Aizen had stopped cutting the ropes so that the soldier would not catch on to what was happening.

_Dear Sosuke,_

_How's the war going? I bet you killed every last motherfucker in here, and are now finally reading my letter to you. Congratulations! You made it to the inner sanctum of Seireitei. I have given you a lot of things, as well as taken away. It's just business, nothing personal. After reading this letter, you can be sure that death will soon follow, so I guess reading this letter is pretty useless if you're going to die anyways. _

_I am going to have your daughter killed by Essess elite. You tried to play it off that you were sad about the assassination attempt. You tried to make it seem that you could even make a difference. Truth is: You failed. Hueco Mundo is doomed, because without its 'fearless ruler', and the lovely Princess, they will turn on themselves. They will give in to chaos. _

_Betraying you was quite fun I must admit. You know that hooker you had in Hueco Mundo? One of my soldiers had a venereal disease, and they passed that on to the hooker. You now have a disease my friend, so if you think you will survive, you are quite mistaken. _

_My, it looks like I'm on Essess' side, now doesn't it? Sorry, but I can't stand Essess. It's the smell. I feel saturated by it. These stuck-up pricks think they're so high and mighty. I decided to take them down a peg. I personally killed their king and his cute little family. The daughter was a feisty fuck, and I do mean FUCK. _

_Good-bye Sosuke,_

_Welcome to Chaos._

The letter was sealed with the King of Essess' seal. Shirosaki had stolen it, and made it clear that he had been to the palace. Enraged, Aizen sprang up, ripping the ropes from his arms. He launched himself at the Sword Fiend, surprising him. Aizen used his body to pin the Sword Fiend to the ground. Aizen took the Sword Fiend's knife and pressed it to the Fiend's neck, drawing blood.

"Listen you stupid little shit." Aizen spat, willing the man underneath him to stop moving. "You're going to die right here and now if you don't want to help me. You will lead me out of this palace, and will leave me alone as soon as I leave."

"Whatever you say." The Sword Fiend said calmly, _too_ calmly.

Aizen forced the man to his feet, and took the Sword Fiend's sword before he had time to use it. Aizen pushed the man forward, and they walked to the main entrance and exit. The Sword Fiend had a smirk on his face the whole time, but Aizen mistook it for nervousness since Aizen still had the knife hovering near his throat. The Sword Fiend pushed open the doors. Two other Sword Fiends turned around, but the one Aizen was forcing out froze.

"If you value your comrade's life…" Aizen yelled. "You will let me pass."

The three Sword Fiends looked at one another, grinning happily. The two Sword Fiends stabbed their comrade in the chest, and the blades also plunged into Aizen's body, but could not cause deep wounds because of the armor he was wearing. Aizen stumbled back as the three Sword Fiends looked at him.

"You assholes!" Aizen spat, "I should have known you were up to such deceitful antics."

"What can I say?" The unarmed Sword Fiend said. "Oh, and about the cost to having us be created…"

The Sword Fiend to the right of the unarmed one beheaded the unarmed Fiend, as the other split the head in half. Suddenly, every Sword Fiend in Seireitei Rokungai stopped moving and started glowing gold.

"No…" Aizen said as fear gripped his heart.

The cost of creating the Sword Fiends was that with the death of one, it would mean the destruction of everyone in the vicinity so no one could use the weapons.

ALL SWORD FIENDS DETONATED, AND HUNDREDS OF EXPLOSIONS HAPPENED THROUGHOUT THE CITY, COMBINING INTO ONE MASSIVE EXPLOSION.

All Aizen felt was immense pain. He could not yell as he felt every atom of his being be heated painfully. His skin peeled from the front of his face and hands, and flew away. Anything metal melted into his body. Aizen felt the hairs on his head being ripped forcefully from his head as it was super-heated. His eyes stopped seeing in an instant as they turned into puss and other liquids, filling his eye-sockets with acid-like feelings. Ten thousand spears rammed into Aizen's body, and Aizen could feel his left arm explode as pain overloaded Aizen's neurons. Aizen's brain was lit with pain and every physical feeling that was even possible including an odd sense of pleasure. Aizen could feel a hole form in the back of his throat as his spine broke away from his neck, and he lost all feeling from his neck down. Pieces of Aizen's skull began tearing away, painfully, revealing the tender, fragile brain. The rest of Aizen's body followed suit, melting away, literally, because of the intense heat. The brain was somehow left, as if the very soul was fighting to keep it alive, but eventually, it too burned away; thus ended the life of Sosuke Aizen. It had taken one second for him to die, and that is all that happened in that time.

**

* * *

**

General Commander Yamamoto looked to the light that was caused by the massive explosion. Even thought the armies were so far away that they could not see Seireitei Rokungai, they could all see the light of the explosion, hear the booming sound it caused, and feel intense heat and the earthquake that the explosion caused.

"Oh, no." The General Commander said as soldiers sprang up from their sleep, out of tents and sleeping bags. "It can't be."

The city of Seireitei Rokungai had been Essess' capital. It was a stronghold like no other, had stood for wealth, beauty, and most of all: hope. Refugees had flooded into the city during the war, because they believed they would be protected. The mushroom cloud still glowed, active with hot energy that could still harm others. What had been the once proud city, with its gleaming towers, lengthy fields, thousands of homes, and beautiful plantation was now one big, smoldering crater. Millions perished, and people who had just narrowly escaped Hueco Mundo's armies advancing on their cities rounded the bend, came over mountains, or from underground came to see their hope gone. The soldiers of Essess looked on with disbelief. Their families, their homes, all they loved, and all they were fighting for was gone in an instant.

Panic broke through the ranks. Soldiers began grabbing their belongings, and mounted horses, donkeys, or travelled by foot, abandoning their leaders so that they could make a break for it. Meanwhile, the soldiers from Hueco Mundo looked to the mushroom cloud and _laughed_. The war was theirs, so it seemed.

* * *

"My God." Ichigo whispered to himself as he squinted into the light.

It was now bright as day because of the explosion. An eerie sense of fear crept into Ichigo's heart as he looked to the bleak horizon. Whoever wielded that power could not be stopped. Whoever could make something so beautiful yet deadly was a force to be reckoned with. But who caused the explosion, and where did the explosion happen? Ichigo did not know.

Everything was in place. It had been hard to hide whenever Shirosaki's or Essess' soldiers would be on patrol, but Ichigo had succeeded in making the necessary preparations so that he could potentially win this conflict that was with him and Shirosaki. The odds did not look good. There were about 80 of Shirosaki's soldiers in the town. They were all masters of disguise, escape, and espionage. However, Ichigo had been taught to be the best of any of them. But Ichigo could not pinpoint the exact locations of Essess soldiers. He only counted 20, but he had heard that elite soldiers were in the town to assassinate Princess Orihime. He hoped those were just rumors, but he was not counting on it.

**

* * *

**

General of 12th Division, Kisuke Urahara, and several of the elite group of Essess soldiers, known as the Reapers, looked on with horror as the fallout from the explosion started drifting to the South-East, away from what was Seireitei Rokungai.

"Should we continue with the assassination plot?" Rukia Kuchiki asked her commanding officer. "The soldiers from Essess might need us now more than ever now that Seireitei Rokungai was attacked."

"We cannot assume anything." General Urahara said. "For all we know, that could just be a play of magic used by either our forces or Hueco Mundo's in order to trick the other side. It could be that the armies are closer to Seireitei than we previously thought. If Seireitei was attacked, and the king is dead, then that makes it imperative that we kill the Princess of Hueco Mundo to ruin their soldiers' morale."

"But is she really worth it?" Rukia asked. "I mean, she's only one person; Seireitei Rokungai is millions of people, plus the entire royal family."

"Our royal family did not rally the country." General Urahara admitted. "They do not mean as much to our soldiers as the Princess Orihime does to Hueco Mundo's soldiers."

"I pray you are right." Rukia said.

"And if I'm not," General Urahara smiled jokingly. "You can take my place as General."

"I'm not sure I would want to." Rukia replied before resigning to go back inside the building, leaving General Urahara to his thoughts and misgivings.

_**GoldDragon08:**_ Don't hate me because Aizen's not the main antagonist here. You're going to hate me more for what I have planned for Ichigo and Orihime…Review if you wish.


	16. Chapter 16

**Knight of Karakura Town: Chapter Sixteen**

_**GoldDragon08:**_ This is how it ends. You will hate me for what I do to Orihime and Ichigo. Keep reading, though, there's going to be a very, very big twist that will make all of this make sense.

Their numbers had dwindled down until there were too few soldiers left. General-Commander Yamamoto held a meeting for all of his Generals, and they all sat at a table with the General-Commander at the head. They had all awoken because of the destructive sonic-boom that had rocked the land. They tried to count those that were left. It was a waste of time, because scouts came reporting that the Hueco Mundo forces were moving towards their position. The armies of Essess would be overrun before dawn. The atmosphere was grim. Several scouts from Rokungai reported even grimmer news: The city and most of its inhabitants had been destroyed. Hueco Mundo had surely won the war.

"Sir." General Soifon said after hearing all the messages. "We cannot allow the armies of Hueco Mundo to see us saddened by this situation. I am willing to stay here and hold the position. We will fight gloriously, until death."

"No, General Soifon." General Commander Yamamoto said. "Our soldiers' morale is at an all-time low. Those who were able escaped; those who fear us stayed. Maybe there are still brave warriors left to fight for us, but we will be overwhelmed. We have no choice but to retreat."

"That's a load of fucking bullshit." General Zeraki Kenpachi intervened. "We've been marching for days, weeks even, and I haven't seen any action, man. I'm going to stay here, with or without the aid of the armies, and I will kick every mother-fucking ass I see. Hoo rah."

"I'm sorry, General Commander," General Sojiro Kusaka said, getting up, going to exit the tent, "But I will not be fighting this war anymore."

Kusaka exited the tent without another word, even though he could clearly hear Kenpachi calling him a coward. The General-Commander accepted Kusaka's choice, and Kusaka left the camp with the rest of his army except for a few men and women who did not dare leave their comrades. Toshiro Hitsugaya had been long time friends with Kusaka, and was his lieutenant, but now, he marched into the tent with the Generals.

"Toshiro Hitsugaya." General-Commander said as he entered. "Why are you still here?"

"I'm here because my family, friends, and anyone I knew are either dead, running away, or going to die anyway." Hitsugaya said coldly, showing his sword of choice; Daiguren Hyourinmaru, which he had kept secret from everyone, including his General. "I'm here because we need to protect those who are running away. I'm here because I believe that I can make a difference."

"Don't fret over it, lad." General Shunsui Kyoraku said. "You could have run off, too."

"That's not the way we do things." Hitsugaya said. "From this point, I'm taking charge of Division Ten; I am _General Toshiro Hitsugaya_."

Brave, proud, loyal Hitsugaya stood before his masters, awaiting either their acceptance or votes of him being unaccepted. The General-Commander stayed silent. General Byakuya Kuchiki, Soifon, and Zeraki got up from their seats, and stood beside Hitsugaya.

"Tell our tale to those that ask." Byakuya said. "Tell it truly, not leaving out anything. Tell them the good and the bad things about us, and hope that they learn from our grave mistakes, and our glorious victories. The rest is silence…"

Byakuya's heart was heavy; his wife was dead.

General-Commander Yamamoto stood up. He contemplated what was to be done. He looked to the other Generals that had not stood up. The Lieutenant from 12th Division which had been under Kisuke Urahara's command and the Lieutenant from 13th Division which had been under Kaien Shiba's command did not know what to do at a time like this. Yamamoto wanted nothing more than to stay with his soldiers, and die gloriously with them, but he knew that the hope of the people lay with him. He would have to retreat for now, and let the brave soldiers give them time to retreat to a city that was fortified, where they could possibly regroup.

"This world is filled with horror and destruction." General-Commander Yamamoto said. "We have lost our Royal Family, and every family that was counting on us in Rokungai Seireitei. Our forces have left us, and it pains me to say this, but I need to get the majority of our forces back to regroup. We will never forget your sacrifices. We will avenge you! God-speed, and attack with everything you have."

The General Commander gave a crisp salute to his Generals, which was also given back. Kuchiki, Kenpachi, Soifon, and Hitsugaya left the tent, and went to their respected armies, rousing them all. Meanwhile, the other Generals did the same, only to leave the four divisions, or rather, what was left of them. Horses, infantry, and many war-machines were taken away, leaving the rest with what they could manage. Silently, the armies grouped together in their formation. The most skilled were at the sides of each army, while the weaker, novice soldiers were at the center of each army. Byakuya Kuchiki's army was split into two groups since his army consisted of mostly chariot drivers, archers, and spear-men. Each group was placed on either side of the army. The four Generals suited up into their armor, and gathered together for one last meeting.

Their tactic was simple: they would let the armies of Hueco Mundo come to them. Soldiers with shields would protect the ones without. Archers would fire to take out as many enemies as they could. Those who used spears were up front. The chariots would run forward, and form a line in front of the rest of the soldiers, and then the archers would fire as the chariots advanced. Kuchiki's brilliant tactics would hold off the Hueco Mundo soldiers for a while, but they counted on Division Six being totally overrun. That would leave the other three Divisions to fight. Soifon's Covert agents would throw knives, ninja stars, and since they were lightly armored, they would go next to face Hueco Mundo's forces. That would leave Divisions Ten and Eleven to finish the fights. Together, the rest of the soldiers would march. Together they would fight and die. They were certain that they would not be captured. The four Generals wished each other luck, and then took their spots to command their armies. Tents and other structures were left behind as the four Divisions of the Essess army advanced away from it. All too soon, they could see the magnitude of soldiers that faced them. The Hueco Mundo torches glowed vibrantly, as creatures made sounds in the night. Some soldiers were gripped with fear. All knew that they would not survive this engagement. But this was what they could do.

Suddenly, the Hueco Mundo army ceased marching. The Essess Generals stopped their army also. Generals Stark, Harribel, Barrigan, Yammy, Tesla, Leroux, Granz, and Arruruerie with acting-General Plateado rode their horses forward. Generals Kuchiki, Kenpachi's lieutenant, Hitsugaya, and Soifon had no choice but to meet them in the center.

The Hueco Mundo Generals sneered and scoffed at the meager force that was before them. It was a sure win. What was the Essess Generals thinking? They should have retreated with the rest of their armies after witnessing their city's destruction. However, negotiations were needed particularly because the whole reason they were fighting just went up in flames.

Generals Harribel, Leroux, Barrigan, and Stark met with the four Essess Generals to negotiate.

"We all saw it." Barrigan said. "Your fair city and our prize just went tits up. Our goal of taking over your land and the resources may have been stopped. Was this one of your schemes? Lord Aizen broke through your defenses without being seen. He found your king, but instead of allowing Sir Aizen the throne, your king had servants set off charges throughout the city, didn't he?"

"That is false." Kuchiki replied. "Aizen could never have gotten into the king's palace without inside help. Obtaining inside help would require immense amounts of money, training, persuasion, and time. Furthermore, there is no way our king could have ordered such a thing as to have massive explosives be set out throughout the city. It is inconceivable that we would have no knowledge of that. If we knew that our king was capable of such ignorant selfishness, then we would have overthrown him ourselves. Our king was a great man. He wanted to remain humble, and not interfere with the counsel that he had appointed. Your 'king' slaughtered the counsel, and waged war with us for more than ten years. He adopted abused children from a peasant family, and named them the Prince and Princess of Hueco Mundo. You should all know that it was a mistake for that to happen; your Princess will be killed today. She meant more to your people than our Royal Family meant to us. Your armies might be able to win this engagement, but you will lose something even more valuable; people's trust."

"You lie." Leroux said testily, "Our Princess is a masterful tactician. She scoped out that puny town moths in advance. She knew about your feeble plot, and she plotted against it. Your soldiers do not have any hope of fulfilling the assassination. You may not know this, but three Generals are in Karakura Town as we speak. They are there to protect her. That is our devotion! We would sacrifice three armies to save her. Think about what we would have done for our Royal Family! But you? You failed your king. You let him die. You are the ones who will perish, and mark my words, _Byakuya Kuchiki_; we will erase every trace of this battle from the records. We will make it so that it was a slaughter! And when we're finished-"

General Hitsugaya walked in between Kuchiki and Leroux.

"What is the meaning of this?" Leroux put his hand on the hilt of his sword, but Hitsugaya raised his right hand.

"We did not come here to argue." He said. "We came to negotiate, if that is even possible. As it stands, if Sosuke Aizen did infiltrate the inner sanctum of Seireitei, and the city was destroyed because of that, then we are at a stalemate; our leaders are all dead. Sure we can continue this fight, but it is like you said; there are no more goals. In fact, if I was you, I would be ordering my armies to move quickly to whatever town the 'real negotiations' are taking place in."

"I don't give a crap about that fucking girl." Yammy walked forward, unsheathing his sword. "I came to kick some ass, and that's what I'm going to-"

Suddenly, Generals Arruruerie and Granz grabbed Yammy, pulling him away so that he would not interfere. Stark grabbed Yammy from behind as they struggled to keep him at bay. Getting angrier and angrier, Yammy finally threw off the other Generals, and stomped on Arruruerie's face. He ran forward as Soifon launched herself into the air. Upon seeing their Generals start fighting, the Lieutenants of both sides gave the signal: The time for battle was at hand.

"No!" Hitsugaya yelled, trying to stop his army, but with no reaction as the chariots filed in, coming to take him. "Stay back! We're not going to fight!"

The Hueco Mundo forces unleashed their beasts as archers in the chariots started firing their arrows. Horns sounded as drums started being played…

**

* * *

**

Princess Orihime Inoue came to, slumped over Ulquiorra Schiffer's horse as it trotted along. She got up, and slid off the horse, only to be caught by Ulquiorra Schiffer himself, who had been leading the horse. General Oderschvank was nowhere to be seen. Chizuru, her lover, Ayame and Shun'o had moved on ahead, making sure the path was clear. The Princess looked with horror into her General's emerald eyes as her breath caught in her chest. She tried to get out of his grasp, yelling and screaming.

"Why did you let him do that to me?" She cried. "Those assassins are going to kill Ichigo! His sisters are going to die too!"

"We need to return to our armies." General Schiffer said. "We need to lead them to victory. A few hours ago, Rokungai Seireitei was blown to ashes. Your father, Generals Ichimaru and Kaname, and all of their accomplices were killed. Our soldiers need you to lead them to battle. We need you Princess Orihime."

Orihime shook her head as tears started pouring out her eyes as sobs took her. She was not a fighter, although she had trained in some martial arts.

"But those people needed me." Orihime sobbed as Schiffer held onto her by the shoulders. "Why should I travel hundreds of miles to help the armies kill and be killed when I could have helped children just a few steps away? It doesn't matter if I died in Karakura Town or if I died in battle; today is the day I die. You just sealed my fate."

"No!" Schiffer said, a bit angrily. "You can never die. I would be at your side to protect you. Princess Orihime, I need you like I need air. I need you like Hueco Mundo needs you, and more. I need to be at your side always because Orihime, I really do _love you_."

Orihime's sobs only grew louder as she slipped her hands around Schiffer's neck, which by the way still had some blood on it that was not his…She couldn't tell him the truth as she hugged him. He was relieved as he hugged her back, but she clenched her eyes shut. She did not love him the same way.

She wished he was _Ichigo Kurosaki_.

**

* * *

**

"Coming to the junction now." A black-jet pilot said into his com-link. "We're coming to the battle ground at oh-six-two and seven-nine-one, over. Prepping the missile for launch. Safety straps are off. Stand-by."

Ichigo looked up into the sky as he heard rumbling from a distance as a machine of some sort flew through the air very quickly. It moved faster than anything he had ever seen, and it was out of sight in an instant as it flew over the town, disappearing behind the buildings.

At first it was a quiet rumble as Orihime and Schiffer held each other. Suddenly, Generals Jaegerjaquez and Oderschvank appeared on a cliff overlooking Orihime and Schiffer.

"You guys gotta see this." General Jaegerjaquez said.

Orihime climbed up quickly. She had fun in Hueco Mundo, climbing things, and was much faster at it than Schiffer was while he was still in his armor. However, he grabbed her before she could get up, and he made sure he was on top of the cliff before her. He looked around, and then he noticed the other two Generals looking up in the sky at a loud, black blur that was coming closer to them. The machine shot overhead, and for an instant, fear and wonder took over Schiffer's senses. He felt a hand on his arm, trying to pull him, getting his attention again. Schiffer helped the Princess up. They looked to the distance to see a battle going on. The soldiers, horses, and creatures looked like ants; they were just that far away. The black machine came closer to the battle, and then something dropped from the machine, and it rose rapidly away from the area.

DOOM!!

White light filled their senses, even though they closed their eyes. The earth rumbled beneath their feet as it gave way. The Princess almost feel forward, but Schiffer grabbed her at the last second. Their visions cleared, and to their horror, they could see a huge piece of rock hurtling through the air to their position. Without thinking, Orihime pushed Schiffer off the cliff. He had not the proper foot holds to stop himself, so he plummeted to the ground. The piece of rock that had been hurtling towards them was two meters high, and one and a quarter meters thick. The rock slammed into Orihime's body, the wind of the explosion lifting Jaegerjaquez and Oderschvank off their feet as the rock and Orihime flew 200 meters away, slamming into trees, breaking through the forest until it landed, bounced, and flung away.

Schiffer coughed from the pain he had sustained from the fall. It was not a high place, but it had left him breathless. He had seen Orihime and the rock go flying. He stumbled to his feet as he looked up into the trees. All he had to do was follow the trail of blood. It was on the trees. Pieces of her auburn hair had been stuck to the bark of several of the plants. Schiffer moved as fast as his legs could carry him, following the trail of destruction, blood, hair, and pieces of cloth from Orihime's dress. He came to a clearing, and saw a bloody crater with a foot in it. He walked forward, fear gripping his heart. At one point, the rock and Orihime had become separated, so now there were two trails to follow. Schiffer knew in his heart that the bloodiest trail would lead him to its source. He parted bushes and walked forward.

She hung from branches. She was on the ground. She was on the trees. She was on the pieces of rocks that travelled with her. Or were those rocks her bones?

General Ulquiorra Schiffer had never cried. He did not cry when he saw his mother brutally raped, his father beheaded. He had not cried when his best friend was impaled by an Essess soldier. He had not cried when he saw that explosion that claimed his King. But this was fucked up enough to make him cry. He fell to his knees and pulled his hair hard enough that the roots themselves separated from his head, screaming to the heavens about the pain he felt inside. He slammed his fists on the ground over and over until both hands bled, and he still punched the trees as he continued screaming, hysterical that his Princess would be the one to protect him in the end. He screamed at the fact that he would live on and she was dead. He pulled out his sword and continued thrashing about. He remembered her cute smile. He remembered the hug she had just given him. He remembered her laughter. It was all gone, never to happen again, she was dead, and pulverized by a fucking rock. She had not been assassinated on purpose. It had been an event left to chance. There was no one to blame. And that was what hurt most. He brought the blade up to his neck, ready to kill himself so that he could be with her once more.

Suddenly, arms grabbed him, pulling away his weapon. He kicked out, punched, and tried to bite whoever was trying to separate him and his weapon.

"It's over!" Neliel said into Ulquiorra's ear as he continued shaking with rage, sadness, and emotional, psychological, and physical pain. "It wasn't your fault. It's okay, just let it out."

Suddenly Grimmjow appeared, and the side of his head was bleeding and caked with dirt.

"Dayum." He said as he looked at the carnage, blood and guts. "Jesus fucking H Christ Goddamn it!! Did you see that thing?"

"A little help here?" Neliel said as she continued struggling with Ulquiorra.

"Aw, shit." Grimmjow cursed while stomping his foot on Ulquiorra's already bleeding hand so he would let go of the weapon. "We're in enemy territory man, fuck. She saved your ass for a reason. If she thought you were not worth it, it would be you all over the place…Fucking God."

Ulquiorra seethed as he bit into Neliel's hand, his iron grip still holding his sword, but Grimmjow's words got him. He continued to cry, but he relinquished his hold on his weapon.

"It's okay." Neliel said as Ulquiorra twisted his body so that his head was on her chest, and Neliel fought back the tears that were coming as Grimmjow just pulled his hair as his face contorted. "We're alright. Let's just go home. There's nothing anyone else can do. There's nothing anyone can ask of us anymore. The war is over."

Chizuru and Shun'o came back to see what had happened. Grimmjow ordered them to stay away. He did not want them to see the Princess _like this. _The three Generals stayed in the woods for the time being. They had to return to Hueco Mundo…

**

* * *

**

**WHY THE FUCK IS A JET IN THIS STORY???**

The war had taken ten years. Other countries had become interested in what was going on as refugees started pouring out of the two countries. The Human Dominion was a group of Nations that had come together, and with the combination of intelligence agencies came rapid advancements in technology. Of course these countries had tried democracy, but there were too many motherfuckers trying to gain power. So the nations agreed on one thing; order must be restored. The most advanced nation in politics, technology, and civilization became the ruling nation or at least the one with the most reach across the world. Hueco Mundo and Essess used to be one nation, denying the call to join the Human Dominion. Over the next 200 years, they separated into two nations, but still did not accept anything from the outside world. They wanted to do things their way. There was still peace and order between the two nations, but tensions built, allowing Aizen to be able to start the ten year war.

The Human Dominion watched on as the two nations battered each other for the decade, and they marveled at the brutality used. They laughed at the usage of swords, bows, and arrows. They mocked the two nations and their rejection of technologies that would have turned the tide in the war. Both nations rejected immigrants from other countries, so no other country wanted to help either country. But then, refugees from Essess and Hueco Mundo who were allowed to go to other countries started telling the peoples of Earth about the magic and other mythical things that still existed in Hueco Mundo and Essess. The Human Dominion started infiltrating the two nations, looking for any attempt at creating Weapons of Mass Destruction, but of course they found none. They expected not to find anything since both nations were designated Third World Countries. The Human Dominion never stopped watching the two countries. The destruction of Rokungai Seireitei opened the World's eyes to an awful truth; the peoples of Essess or Hueco Mundo were capable of great destruction, and there was only one way to stop them. From the information they gathered, The Human Dominion found out that every Commander was going to engage each other in a final battle.

The risks were too great; the destructive forces needed to be stopped, and the Human Dominion falsely believed that the leaders of Essess or Hueco Mundo had initiated the Nuclear looking Blast that had destroyed Rokungai Seireitei. That is why they launched the attack. With all of their advancements, The Human Dominion came up with Napalm that was very destructive. It only needed one jet to bomb the armies. The Napalm would suck up every ounce of Oxygen as it burned the Earth's surface. If people did not burn, melt, or cinder, they would suffocate or be crushed by the magnetic forces of the blast. It was sure death for those underneath the blast, but there was no threat of Fallout, as what was common with Nuclear Weapons.

"Target is neutralized." The Jet Pilot's Head Quarters confirmed. "Objective obtained."

"Coming home." The pilot said as he flew around, and turned back to get back to the country he had flown from.

Hitsugaya, Kuchiki, Soifon, and Kenpachi had fought gallantly. The same could be said for the Generals and the soldiers of Hueco Mundo. They did not anticipate the destructive force that would consume them all. The battlefield still flamed on. There were only two types of creatures there; the dead or the dying.

**

* * *

**

General-Commander looked on from his vantage point, tears in his eyes. He had loved many of the soldiers as his own children. He looked away from the carnage. The other Generals were silent as their soldiers looked on. It turns out they had made the right choice, but they would never forget the sacrifice of the men and women who had stayed to fight yet died with the enemy.

**

* * *

**

Hours later, Kon clopped noisily on the road to the church. There was a huge sack sitting on top of him. It was noon, the time of the negotiations/assassination. Essess soldiers took their positions, awaiting the signal. Suddenly, the church opened. People came pouring out. They passed the horse, not even bothering to see why it was there.

"The Princess is not here?" General Urahara said from his hiding spot. "There's only this horse. It may be a trap."

Urahara sent four soldiers to go forward. Ikkaku Madarame, Yumichika Ayasegawa, Maki Ichinose, and another elite soldier surrounded the horse, advancing slowly through the crowd.

"What the fuck is this?" Shirosaki seethed from his vantage point on top of the church, near the place where the Bell was. "Ichigo seriously fucked up."

He turned to his two soldiers. Both soldiers had knives to the necks of Yuzu and Karin Kurosaki.

"Kill the-" Shirosaki was interrupted as a small explosion rang out.

Looking back to the carnage, he saw people running away from the yard. Kon's carcass cindered, and the horse was clearly dead. Now there was no one to witness the battle that would ensue. Out of the darkness walked a woman wearing a White dress, and auburn hair.

"This isn't what I wanted." Shirosaki said as he watched the woman advance to the middle of the yard. "How the fuck is the people going to lose hope if they can't see that bitch get owned?"

Ikkaku and the rest of the soldiers had been thrown out of the way. The unnamed warrior had been killed after he had gotten too close to the horse as a flaming arrow leapt into the sack that was on top of the horse.

Rukia Kuchiki rushed out of a nearby building. Generals Kaien Shiba and Kisuke Urahara also came out. Renji Abarai took point on one of the roofs, scanning the area for any threats, but so far the close was clear.

"Princess Orihime Inoue." General Shiba said, taking out his trident. "From the Commanding officers of Essess, we sentence you to death because of the war crimes that your country has committed against ours."

The 'Princess' opened her mouth, and used a deep voice.

"You would kill an innocent woman to satisfy your Commander's perverted demands." Ichigo Kurosaki took the wig off his head. "You are all more despicable than Shirosaki, that ass-fucking coward."

His trap had been sprung. Shirosaki flung himself off the roof. The soldiers from Essess looked to him, confused at first, only to look on with shock as he cut Kaien Shiba cleanly in half with one swing of his White Sword.

"Kaien!" Rukia charged, unsheathing both of her swords.

"Well, well." Shirosaki was quite amazed at seeing another White sword. "I would never have guessed another person was using my metal."

Rukia stabbed daggers at the man as she stabbed, thrust, and slashed with both swords at him. None of her attacks made contact with his weapon or flesh. Suddenly, there was a flash of red and white. Shirosaki's sword entered and exited her chest so quickly that she did not even register it until she felt the blood coat the back of her throat. She coughed the copper-tasting life-sustaining liquid onto the ground.

Suddenly, a huge piece of metal slammed into Shirosaki's head, knocking him away. Renji jumped in front of Rukia.

"You've been hurt, Rukia." The Lieutenant said, "Fall back; that's an _order_."

"I can still fight." She said as Shirosaki smirked at the two of them.

Meanwhile, Ikkaku and Ichigo faced off. Ikkaku used his staff which separated into three sections connected with chains. He attacked Ichigo again and again.

"I don't have time for this." Ichigo seethed. "You're _too slow!_"

The huge black sword erupted from inside the dress, slashing upward. Ikkaku's weapon was cut in two, and a huge gash appeared in his chest-plate, but it was not deep enough to cause him any wounds. Ichigo ripped the white cloth from him, revealing black armor he had stolen from one of Shirosaki's soldiers.

General Urahara looked to both of them.

"Reapers!" Urahara yelled. "Attack! Kill them all."

Soldiers all over the place started fighting each other. Yumichika faced off against Rirrin as Shirosaki's soldiers faced those of Essess. Ichigo didn't have time for this. He slammed his fist into the ground that was close to a fountain, and revealed a black spear. He threw the spear up; towards the Bell tower that was part of the Church. A sack of sand was smacked down, pulling on ropes, levers and contraptions. Gunpowder ignited, and the bell became loose, falling out in front of the church. Soldiers sprang back and to the side. The Bell crushed Ikkaku's left arm, pinning him down. Ichigo sprang forward, waving his huge sword. Four of Shirosaki's soldiers stood between him and his sisters.

"There's no way you can win." They said as Ichinose came up from behind Ichigo in order to strike.

Ichigo fell to the ground, seemingly wounded. All five soldiers looked to each other, but then sprang into action, running forward to engage each other. Ichigo sprang up, and pulled a lever up from the ground, and a hidden net sprang up from the ground, capturing two of the soldiers. Ichigo raced forward towards the soldiers who had his sisters. Suddenly, there was an explosion of pain in his back. Ichigo fell on his face, but rolled away as a White Sword slashed up the ground quickly. Ichigo tried to get to his feet. His bicep was slashed at, his chest-plate ripped open, and his leg was slashed from ankle to thigh, and Ichigo barely moved as Shirosaki sprang back.

"Your sisters are going to die." Shirosaki said, and then turned to his two soldiers. "Now!"

Suddenly, a black sword came to one of the soldiers' neck as a normal blade went to the other soldier's neck.

"Dad!" Ichigo cried as he saw his father. "Zang?" Ichigo was surprised at this turn of events, as Shirosaki scowled.

"No, no, no, no, NO!" Shirosaki cried. "This is not how things are supposed to be going! All you motherfuckers are going to die mark my words."

Ichigo was aware of soldiers advancing on his position, but then something he had not prepared for happened. Sado Yasutora and Tatsuki Arisawa appeared, wearing their own armor, using their own weapons.

"We have your back, Knight of Karakura Town." Tatsuki said under her breath as she crossed swords with one of Shirosaki's soldiers.

Sado gave thumbs up as his huge mallet pounded an Essess' soldier's weapon, bending it. The people in the town started pouring into the square, overwhelming both Shirosaki and the Essess soldiers.

"This is too hot for me!" Shirosaki leapt on top of the roof of a building, three stories high.

Ichigo followed his former master, climbing to the roof tops, following Shirosaki as the maniac laughed crazily, leaping nimbly across rooftops. _How the fuck is he so quick? _Ichigo thought. _There has to be a way…_

Ichigo remembered one of his hidden weapons. He slid onto his side on one of the roof tops, ignoring pain that shot up. He ran to another roof, and pulled out a crossbow. He aimed the weapon just as Shirosaki jumped down from the roofs.

"Fuck!" Ichigo said.

**

* * *

**

Shirosaki giggled excitedly. He loved playing games, but this one took the cake. Ichigo was following him further away from his allies. It would be an easy kill then, with no one to get in the way. Shirosaki made his way down the Red District, making sure he was in ear-shot of Ichigo's footfalls. He made his way to the wall, and he found the doorway to get out of the town. He opened it-

KLOP!!

A horse's hoof collided with Shirosaki's bare chest, sending him sprawling. Ulquiorra Schiffer glared at Shirosaki, gracefully getting off his steed, and then rushed towards Shirosaki. A seasoned warrior with years of training and experience, Ulquiorra was the best person to face Shirosaki. Ichigo came up behind them, eyes widening at the sudden turn of events.

"My, my." Shirosaki said between thrusts. "What brings you here, General of Hueco Mundo?"

"If it hadn't been because of your stupid assassination plot," Ulquiorra spat, "My Princess would still be _alive_. She would have succeeded in getting the Essess soldiers to sit down for negotiations. Now, it's too late."

Ichigo's blood ran cold. Did he hear him right? No, Ulquiorra had to be using some sort of tactics to excite Shirosaki, to get him to think too much of himself. That had to be it! Ichigo aimed with his crossbow as Shirosaki and Ulquiorra's swords moved in blurs, slashing together, making sparks and bending each other. He closed one eye as Ulquiorra's blade shattered. He fired before Shirosaki could run the General through. The force from the arrow spun Shirosaki to the left, making him miss the General. The arrow had gone through Shirosaki's back, and protruded from his chest. Blood dripped down from the wounds, which was an alien event to Shirosaki. He looked at his blood dripping, and analyzed the pain that he felt, turning slowly to look at Ichigo, smiling devilishly.

"You hurt me?" Shirosaki said. "You made me bleed? Ugh…Heh, heh, heh, heh, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, ..."

Ichigo took the time that Shirosaki laughed to reload his crossbow. He aimed at Shirosaki again, and fired.

SWAP! Shirosaki's fist closed around the arrow. He looked to Ulquiorra, and smiled. The arrow slammed into the General's chest, lifting him off the ground, and it sent him right into a house. Ichigo realized that he had dropped his sword when he picked up the crossbow. Shirosaki closed the gap between them in a split second, slashing up and down Ichigo's body, totally destroying the crossbow. Ichigo pulled out two knives, and started trying to stab Shirosaki. This excited the maniac even more, making him duck and dodge, and he stabbed back in retaliation. Ichigo stumbled back. Blood from the side of his face fell to the ground, and Ichigo's heart rammed into his chest again, and again. Ichigo clenched his fists. Shirosaki looked at Ichigo lopsidedly, and charged.

Metal met metal. The huge sword Ichigo had been using since he left Senna's family's farm was in his hand, and he blocked the white blade from cutting him again. Ichigo jumped back and raised the sword. Senna's magic poured through him as he pointed it upwards. He let out a battle cry and rushed Shirosaki, who kept on smiling. Their blades met, and Ichigo gritted his teeth as he moved his body as fast as he could to dodge, block, and strike against Shirosaki, who did the same while smiling. Pieces of Ichigo's armor fell off. His left arm was revealed. Blood fell to the ground; whether it was Shirosaki's or Ichigo's did not matter. Ichigo's chest plate was ripped open wider, but instead of ripping it away, Ichigo pulled it onto his arm. The more armored his arms were, the more willing he was to make daring attacks against Shirosaki. In a desperate move, Ichigo grabbed the chain on Shirosaki's sword, and maneuvered the sword so that it went up. Ichigo tried stabbing with his huge cleaver.

Shirosaki's foot slammed into Ichigo's chest, cracking two ribs. Ichigo fell onto his back, and he barely rolled in time as Shirosaki's blade slammed into a piece of his armor, cutting it off from Ichigo's body. Ichigo pulled the rest of his now useless clothes off, except his pants and combat boots. They faced each other for a moment, panting as the caught their breath. Shirosaki grabbed the head of the arrow that was still in his chest, and he ripped it from his body. Ichigo held his sword with both hands, ready for anything. Shirosaki threw the arrow back, catching Neliel Tu Oderschvank as she tried creeping up on his position. She spun around, and fell to the ground. Grimmjow roared, rushing forward. Unlike other soldiers, his armor was skin tight. He used a smaller sword, but had blades on his forearms. He attacked Shirosaki, stabbing and slashing. But nothing _happened_. Shirosaki did not get wounded. He stood smiling as always, waiting for Ichigo to strike.

"Come on, boy." Shirosaki said. "Pick up your crossbow again. Shoot me again."

"You're insane!" Ichigo seethed. "You'll just use the arrow to kill that guy."

Ichigo has no idea who Grimmjow is.

"Fine then." Shirosaki caught Grimmjow's blade.

He ripped the blade from the General's grasp, and threw it away. He maneuvered his sword above Grimmjow and slashed downward, cutting into the General's body. Meanwhile, Ichigo grabbed the blade that had fell, and jumped onto Shirosaki's back, stabbing Shirosaki in the neck. Shirosaki thrashed to and fro as Grimmjow fell to the ground, sputtering to stay alive. Ichigo used the smaller blade, and cut through Shirosaki's hair, trying to get to his neck. Their bodies fell to the ground. Shirosaki grappled with Ichigo for the knife. Their breathing was hoarse. Ichigo slammed his elbows sown on Shirosaki's chest, who kneed Ichigo in the crotch, fighting dirty.

"You couldn't do it, could you?" Shirosaki asked while they still struggled. "You couldn't kill your master. You're weak!"

"We're not finished yet." Ichigo said through gritted teeth.

Shirosaki succeeded in getting the knife as Ichigo grabbed the white sword. They lay side by side, Ichigo pointing the sword at Shirosaki's crotch, while Shirosaki had the blade dangerously close to Ichigo's jugular vein on the left side. They parted quickly in case the other would attack. Shirosaki grabbed the huge blade, and hefted it up as if it was nothing. Ichigo was surprised; the blessing from Senna made it so that the blade should have been really heavy to anyone who was not Ichigo or Zang.

"My, my, the tables have turned." Shirosaki smiled wickedly, looking for an opening. "You have the nimble white sword while I have this big mother-fucking ass-shaver. My, what are we to do?"

Ichigo stuck the sword into the ground. He backed away from it. Shirosaki frowned, and walked forward, grabbing his sword, now armed with two blades. He looked at Ichigo, serious for a minute. He checked how he used Ichigo's sword and realized the truth that Ichigo had realized before him; neither of them had ever used each other's swords. To fight would mean they both would have been at a disadvantage. Ichigo honorably stepped away so that Shirosaki would obtain his sword again, so that he could fight at his utmost best. Shirosaki sneered.

"You think you're so smart." Shirosaki said. "You just armed me with both swords."

Shirosaki kicked the shorter blade that Grimmjow had been using towards Ichigo.

"Here, fool." Shirosaki said. "What did you expect from an enemy? I face death from you; you think that I would go easy on you? You would dare think that I shared your flawed sense of honor?"

"No." A voice said from behind Shirosaki. "He thought that with both hands full, you couldn't stop this!"

Ulquiorra had a thin, black blade in his hand. Shirosaki stabbed backwards with his white sword, but Ulquiorra flew through the air. He aimed precisely at the hole already made by Ichigo's arrow, and stuck the blade deep within it as Shirosaki stabbed him with the white sword. Ulquiorra's hand grasped the white blade, and made sure his grip was iron tight. Shirosaki struggled, and saw no choice but to drop Ichigo's sword as he tried punching Ulquiorra. In two seconds, Ichigo had his sword in his hand, and he leaned back.

"No!" Shirosaki cried, Ulquiorra smiling at the fact that he would aid in the menace's destruction.

Ichigo stabbed Shirosaki, running him through so hard that his backbone separated. Organs were sliced open, and acid from his stomach leaked into his vulnerable core. Shirosaki cried out in pain. He had wanted so badly to have the challenge of being faced with death again that he was blind to the fact that he could die. Yes, he wanted to test Ichigo. Yes, he wanted to mold the man into his likeness, but now, Ichigo Kurosaki had done the impossible. Ichigo had killed him using allies who had the same beliefs as him. That was something Shirosaki could never do. He ruled through pain, fear, and iron oppression. Shirosaki thrashed wildly as Ichigo pulled the huge cleaver from Shirosaki's body. Ulquiorra fell down as Shirosaki let go of his sword. Shirosaki stumbled back. He looked to the ground, and grabbed Grimmjow's weapon. Ichigo's eyes widened as Shirosaki screamed into the air, his blood already soaking the ground beneath them. Shirosaki rushed forward again in order to attack Ichigo. A blue arrow sailed past Ichigo's head, dangerously close. It impacted Shirosaki's chest, wheeling him around. Ichigo looked up to where the arrow came from.

Uryu and Ryuken Ishida stood upon the building looking over the battle. Suddenly, blue flashes of light appeared as souls of Quincy who were long dead appeared.

"Fuck, man." Ichigo said, lowering his guard. "I thought you were all on his side."

Shirosaki screamed again, and threw the blade at Ryuken. One of the Quincy flung another arrow, knocking the blade from the sky. Blood dripped from the Quincy arrow that had already been shot into Shirosaki. His eyes filled with fear as he realized that the Zombie Powder had no affect on the mighty powers of the Quincy. He fell to the ground, the gravity of the wounds on his body catching up with him. The worst was the one Ichigo had done to him. He lay on his back, looking up into the sky, cursing as he awaited his fate.

"It's over!" Ichigo yelled, happily.

Bows tightened as arrows were pulled back. Ichigo looked up curiously. To his horror, every last Quincy was pointing their arrows at him.

"What the fuck is this?" Ichigo said, raising his sword. "I defeated Shirosaki."

Ryuken and Uryu shared glances to one another. Ichigo and Shirosaki looked exactly the same. There was no way for any of them to know who the real Ichigo was, and who was the real Shirosaki. Ichigo's heart quickened as he realized this. His eyes turned blue as he summoned every ounce of magic in the sword, pointing it up to the heavens. He screamed a long, powerful cry to the ends of the earth as every Quincy bow fired their arrows.

The blessed sword snapped in half, the magic overwhelmed by the Quincy powers.  
Arrows were everywhere:  
They were in Ulquiorra.  
They were in Grimmjow.  
They were in Neliel.  
They were in Shirosaki.  
And they were deep into Ichigo. His body had been pierced all over, including four in his head. His eyes saw no more as his right eye had been plucked out by an arrow. His blood gently seeped out of his body, warming the soil. Slowly, the ghosts of the Quincy disappeared…

_**GoldDragon08:**_ Wait for it; Ichigo and Orihime are in the Epilogue and that's the ending.


	17. Chapter 17

**Knight of Karakura Town: Chapter Seventeen**

_**Epilogue**_

Ichigo Kurosaki woke up in a sweat, panting as he looked around the familiar room. His alarm clock said 4:32 AM. His clothes and sheets were soaked with his sweat, plus he inexplicably had a boner. He got up off of bed and went to the washroom, kicking Kon's plush body as he went. He looked into the mirror. Silence was all he heard. He washed his face in ice-cold water, and went downstairs into the kitchen. He poured himself some orange juice into a tumbler, and took a swig. He replaced the jug of juice into the refrigerator. He sat down at the table and went over what he had dreamed, trying to make sense of it all. Senna was dead, there was no way she would be reincarnated into a new body…was there? Rukia had said that her very memory should have disappeared, so he should not have had a dream about her. He should not have remembered her at all. But there it was. She was there.

Ichigo concentrated. He found the Spiritual Pressures of all his friends, except for the Soul Reapers who were all tucked away in Soul Society, although there were a few performing their duties. Since when would Rukia and Renji become his enemies? And Aizen was a _nice_ father figure? What the fuck did that mean? But something did make Ichigo wonder. All the Hollows that they had killed during the war, the _real_ war involving the Hogyoku, Arrancars, Espada, and the traitors to Soul Society: were they purified and back in Soul Society? Should Ichigo consider performing a soul burial on Nel and her pals just so that she could be with her fellow _former _Espada? What about all of their feelings; were they still pissed at Soul Society? Ichigo had seen the way Ulquiorra had reached out for Orihime while he turned to ash during their final confrontation. Was it possible that Orihime had triggered some emotion in the Espada? Ichigo wondered. From history class, it was very much impossible for any society to not be affected by another society. The Kingdoms of Essess and Hueco Mundo would have been as advanced as anyone else despite the rules. The dream didn't make sense.

But it had lasted a very long time. It did in fact feel like he had spent his whole life in that realm. Was it possible that he retained a few skills and tactics? Could he use it in future fights with other enemies? Only time would tell. The night was still dark; some say that night was Darkest Before Dawn…

Ichigo spent the next few hours going over every single detail of what had gone on. Soul Society had wiped out the Quincy race, but they allowed Uryu and Ryuken to live and fight: Why? Could the Quincy actually become a threat? Was that the meaning behind the dream; that enemies and tragedies lurk behind every corner?

One thing was sure. Ichigo had seen Orihime die in his dream. She had done what his mother had done for him, all those years ago, even in the dream world. They were brave, strong, beautiful people. Ichigo realized that all those years without a loving person in his life in the form of a woman had a very lonely affect on him. Senna had given him a taste of it in the real world, and again in his dream. Ichigo wondered about the kiss he and Orihime shared in the dream; could it be a sign of the future?

Ichigo sat at the table, pondering and pondering, until his mind was sore from thinking too much. It was bigger than him. One thing he knew for sure was that Karakura Town was his. He was the knight that the souls needed. He would defend the town against threats. He would fight gangsters, Arrancars, and any traitorous Soul Reaper that dared try destroying it. Suddenly, Ichigo heard noise from above. His father had woken up. Ichigo breathed in slowly.

Five

Four

Three

Two

Uno (since Spanish is part of Bleach, why not?)

His bedroom slammed open, and Ichigo could clearly hear

"Good Morning, Ichigooooo…?" Isshin stopped short of pounding the bare bed.

Ichigo sighed as he heard his father wake up Yuzu, very loving and gently, as a father should. Then Isshin came downstairs. He was still in his pajamas. Ichigo could clearly see his father coming, so that ruined the surprise attack.

"What's up Ichigo?" Isshin asked his son, and then realized something. "You were waiting patiently for me to come downstairs for your ultimate, most awesome attack! I got you now! I'm going to attack before you can even-"

"Sit down." Ichigo growled before his father finished. "We need to talk."

"Talk?" Isshin wondered. "About what?"

"When we fought Aizen," Ichigo began, "I said you could tell me everything when you were ready. I'm not going to bring up anything much, it's just…did you find mom before you started living in this world? Is that why you gave up being a Soul Reaper; for her?"

"Ichigo." Isshin said, stunned that his son would bring up something like that. "I know I have devilish good looks, but even as a Soul Reaper, your mother…she couldn't see me."

Ichigo's eyes widened.

"Then how did you guys…?" Ichigo trailed off.

"It's a story for another day, Ichigo." Isshin admitted. "Aizen's a punk ass bitch, that's all I can say."

"Language!" Ichigo tersed as Yuzu came bounding down the stairs after brushing her teeth and dressing for the day. " 'Morning Yuzu!"

"Good morning Dad, Good morning Ichigo!" Yuzu continued walking into the kitchen, humming some tune that sounded quite lovely. "Now, what should we have for breakfast?"

"How about Daddy giving you all some Chocolate Chip Pancakes!" Isshin cried out. "We're going to Lenny's!"

"Yay!" Yuzu hugged her father around the neck as Ichigo rolled his eyes, cursing that he had been up all morning.

**

* * *

**

Karin yawned for the 324 time that morning as Yuzu and Isshin dug into their pancakes. Ichgo played with his straw in a strawberry smoothie. Ichigo's mind was going over 9000 miles per minute. The dream was so nostalgic. Hollows, specifically the Arrancar and Espada had held human forms. Nel was the first Hollow to not have a Hollow hole. Was it possible that by consuming so many souls, and becoming less lonely that the Hollows could change without going to Soul Society? The human forms made it certain that Hollow were humans too. Ichigo decided then and there; even if he needed to develop it, Ichigo would never, EVER develop a Resurreccion. Soul Reapers' Zanpakuto cleansed souls, sending them to Soul Society. Ichigo had no idea what the Arrancar Zanpakuto did. He dreaded what…_Shirosaki_ would think of having his very own weapon.

"Oh, yeah." Isshin said after drawing out his chocolate smoothie with his straw, and patting his belly. "That was good! What do you all think?"

"Ahhh." Karin yawned again. "Great."

"Ichigo, you didn't even touch yours!" Yuzu complained. "Come on, Karin, you gotta try the smoothie!"

Ichigo wordlessly started hacking apart the chocolate chip pancake he had been given. Syrup had been poured all over it. It was moist, gooey, and still warm. He relished the taste in his mouth. They had pancakes ever so often, but to Ichigo, it felt like years…and it felt weirder still to see Yuzu and Karin wearing their normal clothing. Ichigo could not understand how he could still vividly remember the way Orihime looked in the tight fitting dress, with her hair butchered. He could remember her delicious taste. He had seen her as a child when Aizen had invaded Barrigan's palace in Los Noches…He remembered how fucking old Ulquiorra was, and he loved Orihime just like…

…Just like him. Ichigo looked up.

"What is it Ichigo?" Isshin asked. "Do I have some of the smoothie on by beard?"

Isshin proceeded to lick around his face in search of the tasty trace of food or drink that he thought Ichigo was looking at. Suddenly, Isshin widened his eyes as he looked at Ichigo.

"Ichigo, what's wrong?" Isshin reached forward and tugged on Ichigo's arm…

Ichigo remembered how really fucked up it had been when Orihime had died. He remembered how Ulquiorra had felt, and he realized more and more that he missed her, even though she really was alive. Tears dripped down from Ichigo's face. Yuzu and Karin were speechless (Yuzu's lip quivered as she saw her old brother crying) Ichigo put his hand to his face, squeezing his eyes. He felt like everyone in the restaurant was looking at him. He wiped the moisture from his face, and glared outside at the sunny day. It was now or never…

"Hey Ichigo." Isshin said. "You just reminded me. There's a family in Tokyo who claim that their son is obsessed with you; but he almost killed himself-"

"Screw off!" Ichigo said. "I'm just sad about something I dreamt about last night; it's not real…And there's no way I'm going to kill myself…"

Ichigo got up, and excused himself.

"Ichigo!" Isshin called to Ichigo's back. "That boy who you…"

"Sorry, dad, I have to go." Ichigo said, hoping that whatever Isshin wanted to talk about would wait.

* * *

It was noon. Ichigo paced back and forth as he waited by the river. He had called Orihime only 45 minutes ago, but it felt like forever as he remembered how sovereign she had been, how graceful, and wise she had been in his dream. The real Orihime was humble, kind, and it carried into his dream as well, but Ichigo thought; was he having feelings for the real Orihime, or for a figment of his imagination? He exhaled slowly, closing his eyes, listening to the lapping of the water, the laughter of teenagers, children and lovers who were nearby. He smelt the warm air, felt the warm wind as it passed over him…

And then, he heard the tinkling of bells; the voice of a woman.

"Hey, Ichigo!" Orihime said from the street, walking towards him.

Ichigo opened his eyes, and turned around. He smiled at her as she beamed at him…and then tripped on her own two feet, falling to the grass, getting a grass stain on her nice summer dress (The war had happened earlier than expected, so it was fall, a warm fall at that. It's been like two weeks since the war ended.)

"Oh." Orihime moaned. "Not my dress! I saved it from the wooden dryer that was corrupted by flying donkey…never mind."

Ichigo walked up to Orihime, and gave her a hand so she could stand up.

She smiled at him, closing her eyes, and giving him a big toothy grin. She was always happy…For some unknown reason, Ichigo wrapped her into a tight embrace, his hair falling over his eyes (Anime style yo). Orihime's hands were pressed on Ichigo's chest, and her eyes were wide. They could feel each other's heartbeats. Both were pounding at excessive rates. Ichigo breathed out slowly, and the breath tickled her neck. She nuzzled into his neck, closing her eyes as she took in his smell, loving every moment in it. She wished the moment would never end. All too soon, Ichigo relinquished his hold on Orihime. She looked up into his face, curious about why he suddenly did this.

"Orihime, I have something to tell you…" Ichigo said, summoning the strength to do the impossible, closing his eyes. "I had a dream…"

His chocolate brown eyes opened to gaze in her mystic, dark grey ones. Slowly, Ichigo's face moved slightly to the left and downward.

"…and I dream no more." He muttered as his lips and hers made contact.

It was just like his dream, only she was no one else's princess.  
She was his.  
He was hers.  
The Future stretched out before them, an uneven path. There would be trials and tribulations for sure. They may even have to face Aizen again…in some twisted way.

But they knew that they could rely on each other to always be there. Orihime returned the kiss, fully grasping his shirt.

They parted, and Ichigo smiled.

"I love you." They said together, and then they laughed at the irony that they both felt the same towards each other.

They continued to plant small delicate kisses on each other's skin.

"Would you like to go on a date tonight?" Ichigo asked as Orihime's eyes widened and her mouth made a happy 'O'.

"Yes, Ichigo!" She squealed, hugging him as tightly as he hugged her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!"

The Grey Clouds Are Things That Pass: The Blue Heavens Abide Always.

**

* * *

**

Orihime giggled excitedly, crying out when Ichigo splashed her with water. They were both in nothing but their underwear, splashing around, swimming in the river. Ichigo started stirring the water around and around. In a deep voice he started growling:

"Getsuga Tensho!" He said so sexily as he splashed Orihime again.

She laughed out loud, and splashed him back, causing him to try and dodge her counter-attack. He slipped and fell into the river. Orihime pounced on him, causing him to go under. They both went under water, and came up together. They held each other, amazed at how much they were panting, feeling each other's warm breath on their skin. Orihime closed her eyes, and puckered up. Ichigo bent his head and prepared for a kiss he hoped would sweep her off her feet. Suddenly, they heard footsteps on pavement as a large group of people rounded the corner, and ran on the street towards them. Both Orihime and Ichigo looked up to see who was running towards them.

Tatsuki, Urahara, Jin Karya, Kouga Kuchiki, Senna, Grimmjow, Rukia, Renji, Neliel in her adult form with Pesche and Dondochakka, Amagai, The Vizard Miguruma, Aizen, Rirrin in her human form, Keigo, Chizuru, the Arrancar that had attacked Karakura Town in the palace when Kon and the group of humans protected Karakura Town (Chizuru's partner in the story), and a human sized plush lion riding a black horse ran towards them, screaming at the top of their lungs. Then, more people followed them. They were all wearing summer clothes and necklaces made of flower petals and beads. They were all smiles as they approached the couple. Ichigo's and Orihime's jaws dropped as they saw the happy group. They then looked at each other, and realized that their underwear were see through (Ichigo was wearing white boxer shorts, while Orihime wore a white bra and panty). They both blushed at looked away as Chizuru grabbed Orihime's arm, and Yuzu and Karin pulled Ichigo out of the water.

Chizuru's eyes widened as she gazed at Orihime's chest. Tatsuki used a jumping side-kick, and slammed her foot square into Chizuru's chest, knocking her away before she could do anything lecherous. Tatsuki then pulled Orihime away from the river, as the Kurosaki sisters pulled Ichigo. Then, they were all at a colossal Beach party, wearing swimwear that was not see-through. However, Chizuru, Rangiku, and Nel were all wearing thongs and string bikinis. Ikkaku and Iba were both wearing white loin clothes.

Kaname put on head-phones as he was the Disc Jockey for the event.

Byakuya, Ulquiorra, and Rukia created huge sand- _things._ They all looked at their masterpieces, looking to each other, nodding their heads in agreement that they had made awesome pieces of art. Suddenly, Uryu Ishida came riding a wave on a surf-board, and the wave washed over the sand, ruining all their hard work. Byakuya seethed, as Rukia fumed. Ulquiorra frowned, his shoulder hunching. Gin Ichimaru snapped his fingers, and Runuganga, the Hollow made of sand recreated their creations…except they were all in sand houses, that were so very articulated that they took everyone's breath away despite the horrid creations Rukia, Byakuya, and Ulquiorra made.

Unohana came flying in on her Zanpakuto's manta ray form, which was laden with coolers and ice-boxes. Hitsugaya and Kusaka were riding Unohana's Zanpakuto, and when they landed on the sand, they started helping unload the coolers and ice-boxes. Jinta, Ururu, Yuzu, Karin, Senna and her siblings including Kaoru, Elwood, Wolfina, and Emilio were playing Beach Volleyball.

A drunken Rangiku stripped down:

"I'm streaking!" She cried as she ran across the sand.

Smith, Grimmjow, Hisagi, Kaien Shiba, Kyoraku, Iba, Lisa Yadomaru, Koga the Bount, and many other men's noses started bleeding extensively as they watched the busty bomb shell run across the sand. Orihime was shocked, and hid her eyes, only to realize that Ichigo might be looking. She placed her hands over his eyes as he was having an arm wrestle with Ganryu, the leader of the Dark Ones, causing him to lose. An evil smile crept over Ikkaku's face, as he took off his loin cloth, drenched it with sea water, and started chasing Rangiku, whipping her with his cloth. He laughed manically.

"Stop it, Ikkaku!" She cried as she sprinted away from him, only to see Tatsuki and Harribel running towards her.

The confusion of being whipped and seeing two people running towards her made her stumble and fall on her face. Harribel and Tatsuki raised their arms and formed fists. Tatsuki punched with her right as Harribel punched with her left. Ikkaku could not stop running. Their fists collided with his face, and he launched from the beach into the sky, become a speck as he flew away.

Somehow, he crashed into a skyscraper. Hollow Ichigo fell from the stand Zangetsu usually used as Ikkaku crashed into the window below him.

"Damn it!" Hollow Ichigo, or Shirosaki screamed as he fell onto the blue skyscraper after losing his balance on the pole Zangetsu usually perched on.

"Ha, ha, ha!" Zangetsu laughed exaggeratingly, "I win our bet!"

"No you don't!" Shirosaki screamed at Zangetsu, who couldn't help but smile at his fallen comrade.

Meanwhile, back on the beach, Isshin and Ryuken smoked cigarettes together. Masaki Kurosaki came up from behind Isshin, and wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a kiss on his cheek, getting a surprised sound from Isshin. Masaki still liked it whenever she saw Isshin smoke.

Yachiru and Kenpachi were elsewhere in Karakura Town, trying to find out where everyone was.

"Where is the beach, Yachiru?!?!" Kenpachi barked to his Vice-Captain as they drove an Audi R8 down the streets at 110 kilometers an hour, or so…on a street which had 40 kilometer speed limits.

Police Cars were chasing them, as pedestrians screamed, running out of the way as Kenpachi drifted around the corner, turning right. Kenpachi grinned.

"Faster, Kenny!" Yachiru cried delightfully as she bounded up and down in the car, not buckled in. "Faster!"

The car accelerated, running through a divider, and sailed through the air, landing in the park, and Kenpachi laughed as the tires rolled fast, bringing up dirt all over the place as the vehicle moved quickly as police cars came crashing down behind them.

Aizen and Yamamoto sat at a table, pondering about which move they should make next as they played chess. Genrei Kuchiki sat at a picnic table, feeing bread to birds as Wonderweiss watched on with wonder, crouched down on the sand, looking innocently at the birds. The Vizards Rose and Love, the Arrancar Luppi, and the Bounts Mabashi and Ugaki were all sitting at a round table, playing Black Jack. Ugaki used his doll to spy on everyone else's cards, and from that he was able to cheat his way without any suspicion from the other players until D-Roy, the Arrancar took out Ugaki's doll. Ugaki scrambled for the door with his winnings, but when he opened the door, Komamura stood in his way, with a strange gleam in his eye.

"Cheaters should know better!" Komamura said.

The other people heard a thunderous sound and a high-pitched scream as well as laughter coming from the small shack the others had been gambling in.

Grand Fisher, Sora Inoue, Hexapodus, Shrieker beat the shit out of Kon as the horse ran away from an angry Grimmjow after the horse had mounted and started humping Grimmjow's pet panther.

"Rukia!" Kon cried as his plush was being kicked out of him.

Nemu and the Kotetsu sisters played jump-rope. Several members roasted meat on skewers, as others made shish kabobs out of fruit.

Yoruichi purred, rubbing her body against Soifon's leg, making the usually cold Captain blush, and quiver all over. Omaeda and several of the Covert Ops burst out laughing at their Captain's discomfort.

She gave them the glare of death as her Bankai formed…but she pointed the rocket to the sky.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!" Shirosaki said as he leapt out of Ichigo's ear. "I'm free!! I'm free!!"

He had taken the form of Ichigo when Ichigo/Shirosaki faced Ulquiorra for the last time (in the manga). Shirosaki began flying all around Ichigo, sending minute blasts of Cero at his former master and body.

"I'm going to crush you like a bug!" Ichigo seethed as Shirosaki blasted him in his left eye, laughing as he tried to assault Orihime.

A small Bawabawa flew through the air, head-butting Shirosaki, who collided with Soifon's Bankai as it launched into the sky.

"Cccccurrrrrrsssseeeeesssss!" Shirosaki yelled as the rocket was blasted off, and he was stuck to it. "We'll meet again, fools..."

The rest of what he was saying became inaudible as the rocket accelerated quickly into the sky.

The rocket exploded, making a grand fireworks display. The whole group of people looked on with wonder at the fireworks as the sun set. They were all eating various foods; Tacos, ice-cream, smoothies, sake, cotton-candy, candy-apples, red-bean paste filled pastries, chocolates, Jello, and other delightful things. Rudobone, leader of the Exequias had his minions pass through the crowd, giving out the food and glow-sticks. Ichigo smiled as he wrapped an arm around Orihime as they all watched the fireworks, happy about how the day had been. Hisana Kuchiki sat on top of a roof, as Byakuya joined her. Ulquiorra was in his Ressurreccion Segunda Etapa form, and he flew up, into the sky. He concentrated, and formed one Lanza del Relámpago, as Grimmjow cut his hand, Nniotra stuck out his tongue, and the other Espada and Arrancar took point. They all fired Cero of various colors. Hitsugaya, Kusaka, and Rukia used their ice Zanpakuto powers, and shot up shards of ice, as the able Soul Reapers, Bounts, Vizards, Muramasa, Arrancars and humans fired lightning and blasts of various colors into the sky. The colors bounced off the ice shards, making a grand show for the whole town to see. Although all of the techniques used were deadly, they were beautiful to see, so high in the sky. Ulquiorra had fired short Lanza del Relampago at the Cero beams, causing them to explode with different colors.

Ulquiorra circled back until he was at the center as the ice and other effects faded, and he created one more Lanza del Relampago, but this time, used a hint of kido spells. He held the thin pole of power in the middle, and then started rotating it. He let go of it, and it started spinning faster and faster. Sweat beaded Ulquiorra's forehead. Gritting his teeth, he suddenly moved his hands to the sides, stretching them out to the full extent. The green pole of energy broke apart, and dispersed. The green flames of energy slowly drifted on the wind, and fell gently back down to Earth. Chad opened his palm, and caught the tiny flame. It was small, and so fragile. Koga Go, the Bount, was reminded of the lad he had taken in all those years ago, and shed a tear. Then the kid stumbled drunkenly out of one of the shacks along the beach with Loly and Menoly on either arm, and they were all giggling like buffoons, stumbling along the sand. Koga seethed as he yelled at the boy, who looked back, only to fall on the sand as a couple flames fell with him, Loly, and Menoly.

"I bet I can catch more than any of you!" Senna cried out.

"You're on," Sun-sun said.

"I'll fucking kill you guys." Hyori said, racing to catch more of the flames. "Dick-heads!"

Shinji tripped Hyori, laughing while he bolted in front of her to grab the flames. Cursing, she pulled her head out of the sand, racing after Shinji to get him back. He was much faster than her, so she threw up her sandal, and threw it as hard as she could. Shinji _disappeared_ and the sandal fell harmlessly to the sand. Hyori's jaw dropped. Aizen sheathed his zanpakuto, and Shinji rolled on the floor laughing behind him.

Many of the people gathered began racing to catch the green flames. Ichigo smiled as he watched everyone, including Orihime get into a panic, trying to get the most flames. Ichigo did not take part in it.

Rangiku had fallen asleep from drinking too much, and Hitsugaya covered her body with a towel, shaking his head.

"Matsumoto…" He sighed as Momo Hinamori ran up to him pulling him away so that he could catch flames for her.

Kaname continued playing music all the while, as Nanao walked beside him, and used a microphone to sing a melodious song with her pleasant voice: "_Ichirin no Hana…_"

Grimmjow played guitar, Tessai played drums, Jinta and Yuzu played other percussion instruments, Hanataro played violin, Muramasa and Kouga Kuchiki played a duet on a grand piano, Ran Tao played clarinet, Sado "Chad" Yasutora played Bass, Miyako Shiba and Kukaku Shiba were back-up singers, and last but not least, Soken Ishida was the male singer for the song. Kaname added electronic effects to the music, and what started with High and Mighty Color's Ichirin no Hana grew to other songs…And many other people contributed to the songs (If you have a song that you listened to when reading this story, they were played here as well.) The green flames falling like snow just made the performance all that much better. Akutabi Gamma reached up with his armored arm, and plucked out three flames from the air, looking at them curiously as Wolfina and Elwood peered over his shoulder. Smith was relaxing on a beach-chair.

"Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

The pink blades dispersed, catching every green flame. Byakuya summoned his Zanpakuto powers back to him, and held up what was left of the Lanza del Relampago. He offered it to Hisana as everyone else shouted at how unfair it was, cursing at Byakuya for cheating…and he gave them all _the look_ and they all shut the fuck up. Ulquiorra shook his head from where he hovered high in the sky.

"They do not realize I can make hundreds of these things." Ulquiorra sighed, but flew alone into the town, passing skyscrapers, a silent specter, just a shadow, gaining altitude to land on the highest tower. He looked upon the town, and his gaze fell upon the beach…

Meanwhile, they all started dancing to the music. Masaki and Isshin, Chad and Tatsuki, Chizuru and other girls, Byakuya and Hisana, Hitsugaya and Momo, Ryuken and his wife, Uryu and Yoshino, Urahara and Yoruichi, Adult- Neliel and Grimmjow, Sora Inoue and Kukaku, Soifon and a black cat…and many other couples got together to dance to slow awesome music. The children laughed as they continued playing with each other. Squad Four members cleaned up some of the messes, carting away the people who had passed out from too much alcohol or from other reasons. (Kyoraku, Amagai, Ukitake, Chojiro (Yamamoto's Vice-Captain), Matsumoto, Stark, Leroux, and others)

Yuzu, Karin, and Ichigo were glad to see their parents dancing, although they grimaced as Isshin tried to show everyone his 'moves', only to get laughter from everyone else, who had drunk too much. Masaki pinched Isshin's cheek, and hugged him. Orihime sat beside Ichigo, offering him an ice-cream cone. He gladly accepted, and they looked at their friends as the party went on. Silently, Ichigo took Orihime's hand in his. She looked at him. He seemed not to notice, just licking up the ice-cream. Orihime smiled, happily, looking back to her friends as they continued enjoying their time together.

The night was getting late. Many of the people said their good-byes, and started leaving the beach. However, Mayuri Kurotsuchi would not have it. He had created a huge machine which would take a picture of everyone, and turn it into a hologram, that would be 3-D. He tested it by taking a picture of a skyscraper. A yellow laser beam leapt from the machine, taking out the 14th floor of the building. Everyone grimaced, and looked on with fear as the machine started acting up. Mayuri tried to open the maintenance hatch, only to have the machine puff up smoke in his face. He violently slammed down the hatch, and called for his Squad members to look after it.

Szayel Aporro Granz came with a similar machine. Everyone started throwing garbage at him, and he cursed them all as he had his Fraccion take the machine away. Yuzu got up meekly, and showed everyone her small, orange camera which had stickers on it. Everyone that was left gathered into a huge group, with Ichigo and Orihime in the middle.

Yuzu placed the camera on a table, and ran, squealing with delight as she joined the group. The camera flashed, and everyone cheered until Kenpachi's R8 burst through the group, and skidded on the sand, unable to stop. In the end, it fell into the water. Kenpachi burst through the roof of the car, followed closely by Yachiru. He was wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, but he was waving his zanpakuto to and fro in the air.

"It's time to fight, Kurosaki!" Kenpachi screamed as he stomped towards Ichigo, who dropped his ice-cream cone.

"I guess it can't be helped." Ichigo said, slamming his Deputy Soul Reaper Badge into his chest.

He took out Zangetsu, and pointed it to Kenpachi, as the Captain of Eleventh Squad ripped off his bells and eye-patch. Everyone else scattered.

"Ichigo!" Orihime yelled as Grimmjow and Tatsuki pulled her away, carrying but half-dragging her away from the immanent attack.

"Bankai!" Ichigo yelled, causing the sand to blow up in the air.

Runuganga withdrew his sand, making a wall around everyone else, letting Ichigo and Kenpachi face each other. Kenpachi howled with delight as he dashed towards Ichigo, whose jacket flowed in the wind as Tensa Zangetsu had sand swirling around the blade. Ichigo's eyes glowed blue as he used Shunpo to get to Kenpachi Zeraki. There were sounds of metal clashing and an explosion of Black and Gold, which went up into the sky, forming a Gold Dragon…

* * *

The picture that had been taken of the group faded to black and white…  
Bleached because of the sun and heat that had assaulted the camera all day…

_**GoldDragon08 Would Like to Thank the following for Reading this story:**_

_Mmk15_

_Bleachbabe03_

_Crystal Dawn_

_Misinmyname_

_Nefieslab_

_Ithnan_

_Kikyoevil_

_NikkiOne_

_Dark Vizard447_

_Fostersb_

_Derderxp_

_Cupcakesrok_

_Princess Sweetness _for adding it to the Community _The Princess and Protector~Ichihime Style~_ and reading it of course

_Blu Inu_

_Ginamaria195_

_Justbin_

_Kotoni is the sky_

_Miguel-senpai_

_NaruHinaFanboy_

_Thisiswhatever_

_xxxPinkCupCakesxxx_

_hollowfencer_

_Lumchan123_

_Mbshadow_

_RedRoseRuby_

_Vegito786_

_**I would like to thank the following people for influencing this story:**_

_Bungie: _Creators of the _Halo_ universe

_Tite Kubo:_ Creator of _Bleach_ and _Zombie Powder_

_Tolkien: _Creator of _Hobbit_, and _Lord of the Rings_

_Bob Kane and DC Comics_

_Creators of Predator(s)_

_Nickelodeon: _Creators of _Avatar: The Last Air-bender_

_Many music artists who provided the nice tunes to jam to when writing this story_

_**Last but not least:**_

_**FOR PROVIDING ME AN OUTLET!!! **_I could never have done it without you and those who continue to write, read, review, flame, shit upon, or edit stories that are on this site.

If there is anyone I missed, I offer you my sincere apologies. For those who read but don't review…

…

For those that reviewed: You guys were awesome.

For everyone else who may hear about this story and how fucked it is, you should probably read the ending first. :P

Thank you and good-bye.

_END of Transmission…_


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